Harry Potter 1. Prologue

Rise of a Phoenix

Ch.1- Prologue

**A/N: So this is written a little bit Badass!Harry and Badass!Dumbledore, as well as Darker!Everybody. This is my response to the normal Dumbledore bashing stories that are so often and so poorly written, and the 'Harry goes to Gringotts and receives ultimate power' stories. Harry earns his power through hard work and experience and nothing comes easily.**

As the sun rose over Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Harry Potter, _The Boy Who Lived (Several Times Over)_, limped his way out of the Hospital Wing and towards the office of the Headmaster. When he arrived, the massive gargoyle silently slid aside, without so much as asking Harry about the password, and he trudged up the steep steps to meet Dumbledore. It would be an understatement to say that Dumbledore was surprised to see Harry this soon, seeing as the boy had just witnessed the resurrection of Voldemort before dueling the Dark Lord and surviving, not to mention the death of Cedric Diggory, which, Dumbledore knew, weighed heavily on Harry's heart.

"He's back, Professor," Harry's voice was quiet with weariness, sounding old beyond its years, a feeling Dumbledore understood very well.

"I have been informed of this Harry, you did not need to trouble yourself to come and find me," He gave him a kindly smile.

Harry looked at the wizened old man in front of him. The man could sit there with that damn twinkle in his eyes and tell him to not trouble himself? How could he not? Cedric was dead! Voldemort was back! Harry was, he had realized, woefully unprepared. He had barely survived the Tournament and dueling with Voldemort had made that look like child's play.

"I need to be trained. You need to train me," Harry's tone was flat, but his hands were beginning to shake with frustration.

"I'm afraid I cannot do that. You will go back to the Dursley's and be safe," Dumbledore spoke with a calm finality, his eyes ever twinkling.

"No! I won't go back, I need to learn to fight him or I'll die!" Harry banged his fist into the table, "And I may very well die at the Dursley's too!"

"I highly doubt that Harry, they promised to care for you," Dumbledore smiled condescendingly.

"Care for me? Oh, they've done that all right!" Harry spit sarcastically. Dumbledore smiled and twinkled some more. Harry's rage grew. He simply wished for the man to understand, to see what Harry went through. And then it happened.

Harry felt a rush in his chest and his vision tunneled as his consciousness shot forward into those twinkling eyes. He felt a resistance, but he plowed through it and began to pour all of his horrible memories into Dumbledore's head. He was seeing a strange double vision, seeing both Dumbledore's face, which was slack in shock with his eyes wide and his mouth open, and another, stranger, vision. He was seeing a happy, sunlight field with a sky filled with light, puffy clouds in gold and warm pastels that blocked out the heavens except for in a few cracks, where Harry could see a swirling storm above them. Two things happened simultaneously, in the real world, Dumbledore's face composed itself and his lips pulled into a determined line. His eyes had lost their twinkle, and it was replaced by a vigorous, fiery spark. Dumbledore suddenly looked 20 years younger. In the mindscape, a loud, ringing song began to echo, resounding of loyalty, honor, pride, and righteous fury coupled with a valiant courage. The clouds began to glow like sunset and a phoenix, in full majestic glory, burst from them, streaming across the sky, trailing flames. Wherever it went, the clouds cleared, revealing the full expanse of a dark, vicious storm broiling with green lightning, but instead of succumbing to the storm, the landscape shifted, with large crystal obelisks rising from the earth and shooting golden beams of light into the sky, which formed a shimmering golden barrier to keep off the storm.

Harry, feeling suddenly exhausted, stepped back and the vision dissipated. Dumbledore regarded him for a second before speaking.

"I believe I owe you an apology Harry, my naïve hope for redemption has clouded my judgment, rather literally as you saw, for too long. You are correct; we can no longer try to maintain a façade of innocence. The Light is not of whimsical inaction and endless second chances, but rather of righteous anger and the willingness to fight for what we love and for honor and justice. The time has come for the light to purge the Dark and bring the world out of the shadows. You are key to this, more than you know. You will be staying at Hogwarts this summer," Dumbledore spoke with a new power, like a lion defending his pride. Harry grinned, but Dumbledore continued, "But all this said, I still cannot train you," Harry threw his hands up in exasperation.

"Why in the name of Merlin not? You're the greatest wizard in the world!"

"And you've hit the heart of the matter. When I defeated Grindlewald, I exhibited every inch of my considerable power. That frightened people. The Ministry made me take an Unbreakable Vow that I would never take an apprentice or train anyone to fight. More recently, Minister Fudge made me take another Vow to never tutor you individually or teach you anything about combating Voldemort," Dumbledore explained flatly. Harry's face fell, "Of course, as Headmaster of this fine institution, nothing is stopping me from arranging a little extra tutoring for a student in need," Dumbledore gave Harry a knowing grin and Harry suddenly felt a surge of affection for the old man, "Additionally, I am not restricted from discussing things with you or giving you advice, so consider my door always open. Also, in my old age, I often find myself leaving books laying around, open to pages I find useful or memories floating in my pensieve or the like," Another knowing grin, "Go get some food and sleep Harry," Harry turned to leave, feeling much better than when he had entered, "Oh, and Harry, do come back this time tomorrow, we still have much to discuss. And I assume that you understand that no one is to know that you will be here, not even your wonderful friends? If one of them asks, you are still too injured to take the train home and are bed-ridden," Dumbledore smiled a grandfatherly smile and sent Harry on his way.

Harry was doing all he could to keep down his smile when he entered the Great Hall and slid down next to Hermione and across from Ron and Ginny. He steeled himself for Hermione's barrage of questions.

"Harry! Where have you been? You can't just sneak out of the Hospital Wing like that!" She berated him.

"The Headmaster wanted to talk to me about some things," Harry spoke into his food, trying to hide his grin and also trying to look mopey.

"What did he want?" It was Ron who asked this.

"He just wanted to know what happened in the graveyard, and then told me I have to go the Dursley's for the whole summer this year," Harry disliked lying to his friends, but he disliked almost dying even more, so it was necessary. They ate in relative silence after that, and when they finished Ron and Hermione took off for class and Harry left to return to the Hospital Wing. He was surprised when Ginny fell into step alongside him. Ginny Weasley was an enigma to Harry. He knew she had had a crush on him as a child which had made her almost unable to function when he was around, but she seemed to be over it and was even dating Michael Corner, who was a prick, according to Ron, and Harry was inclined to agree. Of course, what really confused Harry were his own feelings for her. She was very pretty, downright beautiful actually, and the all too few times Harry talked with her, he always left smiling and feeling better about everything. Honestly, sometimes what he felt when he saw her was such a thrill that it made his attraction to Cho look bland. He couldn't imagine acting on these feelings though, because she was dating Corner, she was already over him, he would likely get her killed, and, most importantly, Ron would horribly murder him if he knew that Harry even thought about such things regarding his little sister. But here she was, walking close to him, so that their shoulders would brush with every step. Harry glanced at her, trying to read her.

"Hey, what do you want?" It came out much sharper than Harry intended.

"Just to make sure you make it back to your bed without passing out or something because you're oh so deathly ill," She rolled her eyes at the last part.

"What do you mean?"

"I've never seen a person happier to be bedridden for weeks and then shipped off to a hellhole in my life, something's up," It wasn't a question, it was a statement.

"It's the potions, they've got me so doped up I would think catching on fire is funny," That was a good one; Harry mentally patted himself on the back. Ginny didn't buy it.

"Bullshit, Potter, what's really going on?" Ginny smirked slightly; she had always been able to read Harry like a book, even when no one else could. She wanted to call it talent, but it was probably just lots of careful studying.

"Listen, I can't tell anyone, it's a big secret, otherwise I would," He sighed as they entered the Infirmary and he flopped into his bed. Ginny studied the chair by his bed for a moment before boldly dropping down onto the side of his bed. Harry looked at her curiously.

"You really want to be left alone right now?" She raised an eyebrow at him and he shook his head, they lapsed into a comfortable silence for a while until Ginny's free period was over and she had to leave, promising she would return. After she had disappeared through the door, Harry let out a long sigh. He had simply assumed that he had a crush on her, but what he had felt simply sitting with her was so much more. His mind drifted to thoughts of what else could occur between the two of them in a bed, things that were much less platonic. He sighed again. Was it wrong to think of Ron's sister that way? Or was it really wrong to think of her as Ron's sister first and Ginny second? Thoughts about the red-haired girl tumbled about in his head until Madam Pomfrey came to administer his potions for the night, or rather the mid-afternoon, and send him to sleep. With a heavy flop, Harry was out like a light in bed.

When Harry awoke the next day, the sun was already high in the sky and his body was stiff, but he still hauled himself out of bed and stumbled to the Headmaster's Office, where he was cordially invited in.

"Ah, a so good to see you awake. I believe Madam Pomfrey was a little too enthusiastic with the dreamless sleep potions last night. Now, I must warn you, deciding to share what I am about to tell you was a decision that weighed heavily upon me, but ultimately, I believe you deserve to know why you are such a favorite target of Tom Riddle," Dumbledore nodded gravely and conjured a chair for Harry to sit in. He also opened a large cabinet with a pensieve in it, "Do you know what this is Harry?"

"Yeah, It's a pensieve right? It like allows you to see peoples' memories and stuff,"

"Excellent, you are exactly correct, and how did you learn about this?"

"Hermione," That was an explanation in itself.

"Ah, of course, now before we view this particular memory, I want to provide some background. In the months before you were born, Voldemort was at the height of power. Our previous Divination teacher had fled the country, and on one fateful day I was interviewing a young Ms. Trelawney for the post. In the midst of a most boring interview, she delivered a prophecy. This is my memory of the event," Dumbledore placed the silvery strand of memory into the bowl and ducked his and Harry's heads into it.

In the memory a slightly younger Dumbledore was talking to a much younger Trelawney when suddenly her voice slipped into a monotone and began to recite, "_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not ... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives ... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies ..._ ," repeatedly until Dumbledore touched her shoulder, causing her to continue as if nothing had happened. With that, they retreated from the memory.

"What was that? What did it mean?" Harry was confused, how was this relevant to him?

"Harry, what is the seventh month of the year?" Dumbledore asked.

"July,"

"And when would it be 'dying',"

"Well, at the end of the month I guess,"

"Exactly and when is your birthday?"

"The 31st of July… Oh," Harry blinked as realization dawned on him, "But, why me?"

"The Prophecy, or rather, the first part, was overheard by an agent of the Dark Lord and told to him. Only two children met the requirements, Neville Longbottom and yourself. Voldemort had already turned Peter Pettigrew and used him to get to you to remove the threat. When he cast the Avada Kedavra at you, he inadvertently marked you as his equal through that scar," Dumbledore smiled comfortingly at Harry as he tried to wrap his head around what he had been told, "I would have told you earlier, but I thought that there would be no benefits to telling you if you had, in fact, killed him the first time, but now that he is corporeal again, it is time for you to know,"

"So what is this 'power he knows not' that I'm supposed to beat him with?"

"I believe that it is love," Dumbledore's conviction made Harry almost choke with laughter.

"So you want me to hug him and tell him he's a grand old guy?" Harry raised an eyebrow skeptically.

"No, I mean your love for the people around you and your desire to protect them, It will make you stronger," Seeing Harry was still doubtful, he clarified, "Harry, how is most accidental magic performed?"

"Uh, I don't know? Like strong emotions or something?" Harry was reaching back to his first lessons on magical theory in his 1st Year.

"Exactly, and what emotion is stronger than love? If you let that love and desire to protect others fuel you, you will be able to overcome his hate and greed, I believe," Dumbledore explained sagely. Surprisingly, his explanation made a lot of sense. After all, wasn't that what his mother had used to save him? "Now before you go, I must emphasize that no one can know about this, lest Voldemort gain this knowledge of the second half of the Prophecy. You may only talk about it with Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and myself, and then only in the privacy of our personal quarters," Harry's face fell. With neither of those two present and Dumbledore unable to actually tell him anything useful because of his Vow, Harry was going to have a hard time keeping it wrapped up, even with his considerable talent at doing so. Dumbledore seemed to read his mind once again, "Actually, I do have this," Dumbledore withdrew a slender necklace from his desk, "It is charmed to protect its wearer from prying eyes, or ears, and I will allow you to give it to one person whom you can trust and then discuss these matters with them, I only ask you to decide now so I may calibrate it," Harry frowned, his initial reaction was to choose Ron, but Ron couldn't keep his mouth shut about anything, so the necklace wouldn't even help. Hermione could keep a secret, unless she couldn't understand it, in which case she would discuss it with whoever would listen, so they were both no goes unfortunately, not to mention he only had one necklace and he couldn't only tell one of them. He frowned some more, running through names in his head. Sirius and Remus were both in, but he could already tell them. Ginny, he couldn't ask her because, well, as he thought about it he realized that she could keep a secret (growing up with six older brothers had taught her that), she was trustworthy and loyal (all Weasleys were), smart enough to help him and compassionate enough to care, and she even had experience with this kind of Dark Magic thing already after the Chamber. Harry began to conjure up any reason he could think of to not tell her, but the words were already coming unbidden out of his mouth.

"Ginny Weasley," Dumbledore's eyes sparked with what appeared to be pride as he tapped the necklace with his wand.

"An excellent decision, I will give this to her, so you can avoid any… misunderstandings," another twinkle and a slight smirk. Harry had rather hoped he would be 'misunderstood' when delivering it, not that he would admit that even to himself, "I believe that will be all today Harry, I have given you a private room in the Hospital Wing with all the necessary privacy wards on it for your use, I will send Ginny to them as soon as her schedule allows," Dumbledore waved a hand and Harry turned to leave, but Fawkes, who had been silently observing, trilled loudly. Harry turned around to see that Fawkes had leapt from his perch and was in the center of Dumbledore's desk looking the old man straight in the eyes. Dumbledore looked surprised and when they broke eye contact, Dumbledore had to take a minute to compose his thoughts before speaking to Harry again, "Harry, do you know why Phoenix tears are not used to cure every single injury that occurs in the Magical World?" Harry shook his head in the negative, "It is because a Phoenix, save for very rare, very special circumstances will only shed tears on the wizard or witch that they are bonded with, or with one they wish to bind with," Harry reflected back on his second year in the Chamber.

"What made me such a special circumstance? Was it the Prophecy?" Fawkes cocked his head and Dumbledore chuckled.

"No, that was not a special circumstance at all, at least, not in that sense. That was Fawkes signifying that he wished to bond with you," Harry's jaw almost hit the floor.

"But I thought that Fawkes was bonded to you, that's why he's here?" Harry was once again dumbstruck.

"No, he has been a very good friend, but he never bonded with me. I am quite jealous of you in that regard. Rather, Fawkes stays here because his wishes and mine coincide quite nicely. I have always been rather fixated with Phoenixes. Their magic, their abilities, what they stand for have all intrigued me and I wished a chance to study one up close. Fawkes, like most Phoenixes, wished to bond with a wizard, and what better place to find one suitable for him than in one of the finest schools of Magic in the world, so we have long cooperated as such, but it is time for our ways to part and yours to converge and even merge," Dumbledore looked slightly saddened by this idea, and Harry felt bad about taking away his friend. Fawkes trilled a happy tune and flapped to Harry's shoulder, where he nestled nicely against Harry's head. Dumbledore smiled suddenly, "How can I be sad when something so beautiful and good is about to be created? To complete the bond, you must go through a burning together, which we will do the week after school ends so we can have the necessary space to perform it, now I believe we have had quite enough to think about for today, so I bid you adieu, go get some rest and process your thoughts, I promise that I will be doing the same," As he turned to leave, something struck Harry.

"Wait, you just taught me something? Are you going to be ok, did you break the Vow?" Harry asked with concern.

"No, no, in the rather complex wording of the first Vow I granted myself a stipulation to teach a student any theoretical or historical information with life-changing relevance pertaining to them, and the second Vow cannot force either party to break a previous Vow between the two parties, so for this, at least, I am in the clear, even though this is all I can really teach you," Dumbledore sighed, saddened by his inability to help the young boy who he considered to be his favorite student. Harry nodded slowly and turned toward the door to leave, pausing on the threshold as if waiting for Fawkes to return to his perch, "He will stay with you now Harry, you two will never be separated. It is a closeness only rivaled by a bond of two human souls," Dumbledore smiled and Harry exited with the magnificent bird resting comfortably on his shoulder. As he reached the gargoyle he realized that it was lunchtime and the halls were alive with activity. It would be strange to see a bedridden boy up and about with the Headmaster's phoenix. Fawkes trilled softly and Harry instinctively braced himself as they disappeared in a small plume of flame.

Harry and Fawkes arrived in what Harry assumed was his private room, judging by the huge stack of get well gifts and the even bigger stack of potions. Fawkes settled quickly on the headboard of the bed and tucked his head under his wing. Harry sighed and flopped onto the bed. As much as he hated the Hospital Wing, at least he could entertain himself with watching the often amusing daily coming and goings of the Hogwarts population's more accident prone. As such, he saw Neville Longbottom quite a bit, as the boy held the spot just below Harry for longest time spent in the Infirmary. The two, while Harry wouldn't call them close friends, shared a silent mutual respect and camaraderie about their injuries. In this room, Harry only had four walls. Thankfully there were only six days left in the term. He stared at the ceiling, beginning to go through the information that he had learned that day. The Prophecy was the main issue, and Harry wasn't sure how he felt about it. It sucked, of course, that he was doomed to kill Voldemort or die trying, but on the other hand it was nice to know that all of the various attacks on him over the years had not just been on a whim, they had been to fulfill some cosmic plan. Not to mention that Harry now had a direction, a purpose beyond just surviving the next year. Overall, Harry decided that it was what it was. Additionally, his choice of Ginny over his two best friends bothered him. Or rather his inability to find anything about it that actually bothered him did. He sighed, and forced his thoughts away from the red-head. Next was the idea of bonding with Fawkes. This was the only thing he had learned in a long time that had not carried some kind of dark taint of fear. He was actually rather excited about it, honestly. He had never actually been close to anyone in the intimate emotional kind of way Dumbledore had hinted at, and a Phoenix would make a powerful friend and ally as well as a reliable companion. And Phoenix tears would keep him out of the Hospital Wing a lot. That said.

"Fawkes, if you knew you wanted to bond with me; would it have killed you to have lent a hand with some tears here and there?" Harry chuckled at the bird who cocked his head at him.

"You had to accept the bond first, obviously, save for the first time when you almost died. Not to mention, it would do you good to learn to get hurt less, and fear of the hospital seems the best way to do that," The bird spoke and followed with a trill of laughter. Harry blinked in surprise.

"You can speak?"

"No, were going to communicate through the bond using sign language," If a bird could roll its eyes, Fawkes did so then.

"Oh, well, I just assumed it would be in our heads or something so no one can overhear," Harry frowned, "And I didn't know birds could be sarcastic,"

"Of course we can, it wouldn't do for your bondmate to be a boring old rock like that Binns fellow," They both laughed at that, "And to anyone else, I sound like I'm just singing a merry little song, and I believe that after the bond we will be able to communicate through telepathy,"

"You believe? What exactly will this bond allow us to do?" Harry was genuinely interested in what being bonded to a Phoenix entailed.

"As soon as I know, I'll tell you," Fawkes chuckled and Harry gaped a little in disbelief.

"You don't know?"

"Every bond is different, depending on the power of the wizard and the power of the Phoenix," Fawkes shrugged his wings nonchalantly.

"So what kind of things _might_ we be able to do through the bond?" Harry rephrased his question, adding under his breath, "Hermione would have kittens if she heard this," Fawkes laughed again.

"Ok, so, from what I understand, Phoenix magic and wizard magic are different, and normally they can't exist together in the same being, however the bond allows them to, meaning we get some combination of each other's abilities. For example, you may be able to flame on your own or heal very quickly while I may inherit your Parseltongue or your ability to do certain spells. I think so at least. This is in addition to the normal tying of souls type stuff: emotion sharing, telepathy, sharing of senses, etc. Additionally, if both the Phoenix and the Wizard are exceptionally powerful, like Merlin and his Phoenix or Aristotle and his, they may actually press their magic together with such force that it blends, giving them a whole bucket full of new powers. This is all theory of course, since a Phoenix bond has never been closely documented," Fawkes concluded brightly, as if the massive uncertainty was no big thing. Well screw it, Harry thought, it can't be bad can it?

"We wouldn't have to worry about the superpower stuff anyways, but the normal, er, more normal stuff sounds cool," Harry smiled at the thought of always having someone like Fawkes to talk to.

"Ah, modesty, one of the reasons I chose you Harry. I am, not to sound conceited, a quite powerful Phoenix, the most powerful in a millennia or more, and you, Harry my boy, are an exceptionally powerful Wizard, you simply haven't hit magical puberty yet, which is normal when you have such power, so I believe that there is as good a chance of us getting 'superpowers' as anyone," Harry blushed at the praise and Fawkes chuckled, "Go to sleep kid, you're going to have a hell of a day tomorrow, and I don't want to deal with you whining," They both chuckled and Harry pulled the sheets over himself and drifted off to Fawkes' calming song.

**A/N: This story arose from me originally why Fawkes didn't just cure all the Hogwarts students whenever they got hurt and why Dumbledore is so indirect in his teaching methods for Harry (i.e. his blatant refusal to teach Harry Occlumency personally) and the story eventually became a pretty solid idea, I think. The H/G is a little out of nowhere at this point, but go with it please, and remember that I don't own anything. Also, as always, please review telling me if you want to see more of this and what you liked and didn't like! Thank you!**


	2. Growing Bonds

Birth of a Phoenix

Ch. 2- Growing Bonds

**A/N: The second chapter of my story, and the beginning of Harry's transformation to a powerful wizard. It won't be overnight and it won't be easy, but it will happen. Thank you for the positive feedback on the first chapter, and thanks again for coming back for more! Enjoy!**

Harry awoke the next morning in his Hospital Wing bed feeling quite well rested. He smiled at the sunlight streaming through the window of his private room. He smacked his lips, but there was no bitter dryness that he associated with Dreamless Sleep Potion. He frowned. If he hadn't had any potion, and he hadn't had any nightmares, what had happened?

"Morning kid, are you feeling a little better after some sleep?" Fawkes trilled warmly, withdrawing his head from under his wing. Harry grinned, remembering the events of the previous day and nodded.

"Yeah, loads, thanks for helping me sleep," Harry smiled and ruffled the Phoenix's head causing him to trill appreciatively.

"Good, you can repay me by getting me some food, I'm ravenous," He clacked his beak for emphasis.

"What do you want, just human food?" Harry asked.

"Nooo, I want a big bowl of seeds with a side of worms and small insects," Fawkes drawled sarcastically.

"Ok then, that can be arranged, no problem," Harry laughed as Fawkes humphed.

"Get me some real food, cheeky bugger. I want bacon!" Fawkes attempted indignation, but failed, ending up laughing as well. They were both silenced by a knock at the door, which Harry unlocked, allowing Dumbledore into the room levitating several steaming platters of food into the room. Fawkes hopped from the headboard and flapped to a floating tray, snatching several strips of bacon and wolfing them down. Harry laughed and the bird glared at him, causing him to laugh harder. Dumbledore watched in amusement. He waited patiently as the two ate and when they were finished he explained how Harry's summer would work.

"Well Harry, I have made some provisional plans for your 'additional tutoring' this summer," Harry took a swig of pumpkin juice and nodded for him to continue, "I have contacted several people outside of our staff here for their individual skillsets, and you will be taking classes in every field focusing on pushing you to your very limits. They are to be difficult, practical, and individualized. You will be given a greater berth to choose what areas you wish to pursue, and you will be working on several independent study projects over the course of the summer. And that will only be three days a week. Three others will be spent with the best tutor I could find; unfortunately he cannot come here, so you will have to go there. Sunday will be your day off. Any questions Harry?" Harry shook his head, "Very well, I will bring young Miss Weasley by later today, for the record, I believe that was a very good decision," Dumbledore nodded and Harry grinned, feeling inexplicably lighter after hearing that. Dumbledore patted Harry on the shoulder and, without really thinking about it, Harry pulled the old man into a hug, which he returned warmly, and when they broke apart, his smile was more genuine and the sparkle in his eyes was a little deeper and warmer. He left and Fawkes sang a warm, sentimental song for a few moments before hopping back to Harry's shoulder and nuzzling his neck. Harry sat on the foot of the bed enjoying the companionship of the bird. It was, he decided, the most fulfilling relationship he had ever experienced. He hadn't known his parents, he had never had a good relationship with his Aunt and Uncle, the Weasleys had treated him like family but he never felt wholly accepted, he didn't know Sirius well at all, and even Ron and Hermione were obviously meant for each other while he was third wheeling. Fawkes, however, had chosen Harry for who Harry was, not what he was supposed to be, not because he was a sad orphan, and not because of some obligation. It was a good feeling.

"Harry, have you ever considered what it would be like to die?" Fawkes asked introspectively. Harry gave him an incredulous look.

"Yes, quite often, usually when such an outcome is a distinct possibility, like when I'm fighting Dark Lords or giant reptiles," Harry responded, not actually upset like he would be if anyone else had asked, it was strange.

"Aren't they one in the same? But seriously, not liked horribly murdered dying, more like peaceful, surrounded by your loved ones dying. I imagine that it would be a lot like falling asleep and drifting away," The bird stared at the ceiling pensively.

"Really, could you have gone more cliché than that description?" Harry rolled his eyes.

"It's a cliché because it's accurate," Fawkes said emphatically.

"Oh yes, and I'm sure you've had it confirmed by how many dead people exactly? In my experience, they aren't so hot at answering questions,"

"Ever heard of a near-death experience Harry?"

"Oh yes, I have them every June actually, not all they're cracked up to be," Harry only then realized that he was actually joking about his fortune, or rather, his misfortune, "Since when are the majestic light creatures known as Phoenixes so good at bad jokes?"

"Hey, you're the one making all the bad jokes! And they call it making light of the situation for a reason. The Light would never win if we sat around all mopey all the time," He gave Harry a pointed look. For having a tiny head and a beak, Harry found it was quite easy for him to determine Fawkes' facial expressions.

"Oh sure…" Harry made a retort and Fawkes shot back a quip, and so they bantered on until Ginny and Dumbledore arrived several hours later.

Ginny was fuming. Snape had once again blamed her for something she had not done. Matter of fact, she was pretty sure she had been framed. She had been working on her potion when, suddenly, an ingredient on her station had shot off on a trajectory towards some Slytherin's cauldron. Snape had immediately snapped and dragged her down to the Headmaster's office where she was now sitting. Snape had just released her arm, but when she turned to glare at him, he had left. That was strange.

"Ah, Miss Weasley, I have a request of you, and I am sorry for whatever Snape did to get you out of his class without raising suspicions as I asked," Dumbledore bore Ginny's glare with ease, "First I will need you to wear this necklace and not take it off until I say you can," He held the necklace out to her.

"No," She refused hotly.

"Excuse me?"

"You remember what happened my first year?" Dumbledore nodded, "And you still expect me to accept some random magical object from you without any idea of what it does?" Dumbledore frowned slightly.

"He had warned me you might react this way, let's only hope he is correct…," Dumbledore mumbled and Ginny's brow furrowed in confusion, "I hope he doesn't mind, Fawkes!" The headmaster called and the Phoenix burst into existence, looked at the two, grabbed them, and disappeared.

They reappeared in a private room in the Hospital Wing which was inhabited by none other than (if the Hogwarts rumor mill was to be believed) mortally ill Harry Potter, who was sitting on the end of his bed smiling.

"She refused to wear it," it was a statement, not a question, "I told you so, and it's quite wise of her. Although, given the circumstances Ginny, would you please wear it? I promise it is safe," Ginny looked at him for a moment before accepting the necklace. Harry would never hurt her.

"Ah, excellent, I shall leave you to it then Harry," the Headmaster nodded and exited the room. Fawkes remained, resting on Harry's shoulder, he trilled and Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Pervert," he said, seemingly to the bird, Ginny frowned and wondered what Harry could want.

"Oh, yes, sorry Gin, I'm sure you're curious as to why you're here. Well, basically, I want to talk," Ginny's facial features remained fixed, but inside her chest, her heart jumped. He was opening up, and to her of all people, "Well, the necklace acts as some kind of shield to prevent people from getting into your head, sort of a counter to what the Diary did," She shuddered, "You need to wear it because what I want to talk about is a very big secret. Or several big secrets all stacked on top of each other, and I need someone to talk to about it who isn't an adult," Ginny smiled and sat where he patted on the end of the bed, resisting the desire to sit much closer. Harry too was resisting placing her closer to his body, ignoring Fawkes' advice of 'you've got her alone in a room, go for it," and trying to respect the fact that she was in a relationship.

"So when are Ron and Hermione getting their necklaces?" Ginny asked, waiting for Harry to reveal that they already knew as usual.

"They won't be, you will be the only one to know these things, save Dumbledore, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, and myself," Harry was rewarded with a huge grin, even if Ginny's eyes showed confusion.

"Why not? They're your best friends, why keep this from them?" Ginny was very confused, and her heart trying to beat its way out of her chest wasn't helping. She was over Harry she had told herself, the crush was gone. But it was not. Oh no, now it was something else, something she didn't quite understand. She pushed it down as she had gotten so good at doing.

"A number of reasons, first off, we only have one necklace, and I can't only tell one of them anything. And Ron, even with the necklace, well, he's your brother; you know he can't keep his mouth shut. Hermione is good at keeping secrets, until she encounters something she doesn't understand, in which case she will spill everything to anyone who promises answers," Ginny nodded in agreement. It was a rather accurate assessment of his two best friends.

"And you don't want her nagging you about it either," Harry nodded in agreement, "So why me?" She braced for the answer, that she was weak little unassuming Ginny, safe to trust with the information and easy to use, as Tom had proven, to achieve one's goals.

"Easy, you can keep a secret, you have to in that household, you're tough growing up with six brothers, but you're still nice and easy to talk to, and you won't nag me or berate me, and you won't be afraid of me, and your smart, and you're just the best choice," And I fancy you and want you to break up with Corner and date me instead, he didn't say, cutting off his rambling. Ginny's heart fluttered a little more and she hoped he really felt those things. If he didn't, it might break her.

"So what's the big, elaborate secret?" Ginny leaned in a little and Harry began to recite the insane chain of events that had led him here. The resurrection, his training, Dumbledore's Vows, the Prophecy, Fawkes, everything Harry could think of, he spilled to her, save one important thing. In the end, he felt lighter than even Fawkes could make him. Ginny had slipped an arm around him early on, which had later developed into a full hug. Harry, drained by the effort of telling the story, dropped his head on top of hers. Ginny gave a little sigh of contentment as he let her hold him, letting herself, for a moment, realize how much she loved this boy and just how unfair his life was. Eventually, sadly, it was time for her to return to class and she left a slightly saddened but overall much happier Harry in his room. When she was gone, Harry flopped on his back and sighed a long, deep sigh. He was glad he had chosen her. She had been sympathetic but not condescending, worried but not anxious, and she had been everything he had needed. She had been Ginny. Fawkes trilled a heartsick tune and laughed and Harry stuck his tongue out at him. Fawkes laughed harder and, despite himself, Harry joined him.

The final week of school passed quickly and soon the school was devoid of students save for Harry and Ginny Weasley, who had demanded to be allowed to be present for the bonding between Harry and Fawkes, and had been allowed to stay and then Floo home, faking illness to avoid suspicion. Currently, Harry was standing in the Great Hall, which had had all its tables pushed away and in the center of its considerable floor space a double ring of runes inside a large circle glowed with a faint white light. In the center of the rings was an infinity symbol, which had Fawkes perched in one loop and Harry standing in the other. Outside the ring Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, Madam Pomfrey, and Ginny were standing. Ginny and Dumbledore were smiling, but McGonagall and Pomfrey both looked inexplicably nervous. With a trill, Fawkes looked Harry in the eyes and McGonagall began to chant. McGonagall was performing the ritual because no one wanted to push the boundaries on Dumbledore's Vows. As she continued, Harry felt warmth begin in his toes. He knew it was flames licking at his feet, but he didn't dare look down and break his eye contact with Fawkes. Slowly but surely, the comfortable warmth licked up Harry's legs, arms and torso. Soon it was around his neck, then his nose, before it reached his forehead. Then it changed. His head exploded into pain as the fire began to actually burn and a migraine tore through his head. He screamed and Fawkes let loose a horrible shriek, the sound of a Phoenix in pain, as the flames around his forehead burned a vivid green, instead of the warm white-gold they should have been. Ginny tried to jump to Harry's side, but Dumbledore restrained her until the runes ceased to glow and both man and bird fell to the stone floor. In a flash, Ginny was at Harry's side, only to pushed away a moment later by Madam Pomfrey, who did some quick diagnostics. Her expression when she looked up said it all, Harry Potter was dead. The silence that befell the room was like a blanket, only punctuated by the sobbing, incoherent pleas from Ginny asking Harry to wake up. She had dropped to the floor and pulled his body against hers.

Harry, meanwhile, was standing in what appeared to be King's Cross station, except it was white, empty and clean and the walls glowed with white phosphorescence. Harry looked about him, before his eyes fixed on the train that rested in the station. He knew where that train would take him; it would take him to see his parents and his grandparents. Cedric would be there. Harry looked at his feet where two bundles sat. One, swaddled in white, was a baby phoenix and the other, in black, was the atrocity that Voldemort had been before the ritual. Harry picked them up and began to walk slowly towards the train. As he neared it, the little Phoenix cried a single tear which splashed to the ground at his feet. It flowed into a large puddle causing Harry to look down, but instead of seeing his reflection, he saw a scene of his body on the floor of the Great Hall, with Ginny clutching him to her chest. It shattered Harry's heart as she begged for him to return. He couldn't tell her no, and he never would be able to. In his best imitation of a Muggle football keeper he raised the Babymort and held it straight out in front of him, dropped it, and kicked it with remarkable accuracy and force onto the train as it gave a loud whistle and rocked into motion. Harry gathered the Phoenix in his arms, turned on his heel, and strode away from it.

Harry awoke, back in his physical body, with a gasp. Ginny's eyes got huge and Harry wrapped his arms around her tightly, reveling in the warmth of her body. Quickly though, he realized that his head was pounding. Across from him, Fawkes stirred.

"_Owwww, my head is killing me_," The bird complained, in Harry's head. Harry's reply was instinctual.

"_Yeah, well my head actually did kill me, deal with it_," Harry retorted. Fawkes chuckled mentally.

"_Touché_," Fawkes groaned as he stretched his wings, "_I suppose the bonding process is complete then_,"

"I would assume so," Harry replied out loud as his concentration lapsed.

"What was that?" Ginny was still holding him close. Harry was beginning to feel woozy.

"Mmn, Nothing, you're very pretty," He mumbled unintelligibly before passing out, Ginny shook him but Madam Pomfrey assured her that he was still alive and just needed rest. Soon enough, Harry was back in the Hospital Wing. Ginny had been forced to leave, but only after Harry promised to write often and to stay alive until she saw him again.

Harry remained in the Hospital Wing for two more infuriating weeks before being allowed to move back to his personal quarters, which was simply a refitted teacher's residence. It was nice though, with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, a sitting room, and a study. Harry's things had been placed in the largest bedroom already, so it was simply Fawkes on his shoulder trilling happily about their freedom. Harry was agreeing mentally. They entered the room and Fawkes flapped up to the exposed rafters, perching next to Hedwig who, much to Harry's relief took to him instantly. He made his way into his sitting room and his eyes went wide with surprise when he saw the large black dog sleeping on his sofa.

"Snuffles! Get your mangy arse off my couch!" He laughed as the dog started and fell ungracefully onto the floor before turning into a black haired, gray eyed man. Sirius Black, mass murderer and escaped convict, and also Harry's totally innocent godfather, wrapped him up in a big hug, which he returned.

"Hiya Pup, heard about your excitement with the Phoenix, and, you know, the whole dying thing," His voice was light, even when discussing Harry's untimely demise and subsequent resurrection.

"Sirius! Is it safe for you here? Aren't they still looking for you?" Harry asked with concern, the last thing he wanted was his godfather getting kissed because he needed help.

"Absolutely safe, I have it on good authority that the DMLE are completely stump and that Director Bones is swamping even Fudge's personal Hitwizard lackeys with work related to Cedric Diggory's mysterious death during the tournament," Sirius chuckled, he had long had a good relationship with Amelia Bones. Harry smiled at him, "Actually Pup, I've been meaning to see you about something, but Mooney's crashed after the full moon last night, so it'll have to wait. I can, however, give you my other talk. You see, when James and Lily went into hiding, we knew that I might end up raising you, so James and I, quite sure of my inability to give fatherly advice, took a page out of Lily's book. Literally, we wrote a book about, well, guy stuff," Sirius handed Harry the book, Harry blushed.

"I know about the birds and the bees Sirius,"

"Oh, but there's so much more than that! That book is the pinnacle of the Marauder's romancing prowess. Which probably explains why it's so short, but nevermind that, it's yours now, use it well!" He clapped Harry on the shoulder and they both laughed, falling into an easy banter that anyone watching who had known them would have associated with James Potter and younger Sirius Black. Soon, it was time for Harry to go to bed, by doctors' orders, but before he slept, he read the book Sirius had given him cover to cover. Three whole times. It was not the veritable porn collection Harry had expected; rather covering all of the fatherly girl advice James and Sirius (with some input from Lily) could come up with, all in James' handwriting. It was a wonderful, meaningful connection to his parents, and also quite practical. As sleep took him, Harry's head was still whirling with thoughts, some about his family, some about a particular redheaded girl, and surprisingly few about Voldemort.

The next morning, Harry made breakfast, a task he found much more pleasurable when it was for people he cared about than when he had done it for the Dursleys. Remus and Sirius, when they finally awoke, tore into Harry's cooking like wolves. Actually, that was probably a relatively accurate description, given their canine transformations. Over breakfast, the three bantered with casual easy like friends who had known each other for years. A long discussion about some of the Marauders' greatest moments led Sirius to unveil a thick, dusty tome with a large script 'M' on the cover. He dropped it on the kitchen table and looked to Harry. Remus stood behind Harry's chair and placed a hand on its back.

"Harry, this should have happened when you were eleven, but as I always say, better late than never," Sirius grinned before adopting a very comical serious face, "I believe it is time to induct Harry into our little brotherhood, don't you Mooney?"

"Absolutely, Padfoot," Remus nodded solemnly.

"Then let us begin! Harry, please place your hand on the cover of the book," Harry did as Sirius asked, the beginnings of a smile crossing his features, "Harry James Potter, Son of Prongs, do you solemnly swear you are up to no good?"

"I swear," Harry mimicked Sirius' mock gravity.

"Do you solemnly swear to uphold the Code of Honor, Chivalry and Civil Disobedience?"

"I swear,"

"Do you solemnly swear to always take pompous arrogant Slytherins down a peg when necessary?"

"I swear," All three were now fighting a losing battle with absolute hysterics.

"Do you solemnly swear to stand against the Dark Whore and his Dick Eaters as only a Marauder can? To uphold the Light through pranks and justice?"

"I swear," Harry's face was beginning to hurt.

"Then I, Padfoot, through the power invested in me by myself, do dub thee Prongslet, Son of Prongs, and declare thee a Marauder. You are now granted the privileges and knowledge that such an honor confers, welcome to the family," Sirius clapped Harry on the shoulder, as did Remus. Then, after a brief silence, they all collapsed in a fit of laughter. They remained that way for several minutes. Finally Sirius recovered enough to slide the book to Harry.

"There you go Prongslet, you know the words," Harry opened the book to find it blank, so he tapped the cover with his wand.

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good," At that, the book sprang to life in Harry's hands. The dust disappeared and the cover became a vibrant, near garish royal blue. On the inside cover it read '_The Marauder's Compendium of Pranks, Jokes, and Gags, By Mooney, Padfoot, Prongs, and Mrs. Prongs_". Harry looked at it in awe, its sheer thickness was incredible, and Harry was sure that some of the things in it would make the twins look like amateurs, "You guys wrote a book? That seems very, un-Marauder like, don't you think?"

"You know, we weren't idiots in school, we all managed the Animagus transformation, and James, Mooney, and I were 2nd, 3rd, and 4th in our class respectively," Sirius looked at Harry as if reprimanding him, but couldn't manage it.

"So who was first?"

"Your mother, damn woman beat Prongs in every subject except for Transfiguration and DADA, and instead of being upset, he goes and marries her. No competitive spirit in that relationship, he was whipped. Of course, she invented half the spells in that book it seems like, so I can't complain," Sirius laughed, a little sadness in his eyes. Harry, on an urge, gave him a big hug, which Sirius happily returned. Much to Harry's surprise, Remus leapt onto the two, tackling them in a big bear hug. They all wrestled around laughing until the two men were out of breath. Harry danced lightly on his toes around his two supine companions, teasing them relentlessly. In response, they hexed his mouth shut and his legs together, which Fawkes took his sweet time removing.

"_Hey, I'm trying my best, but this whole Wizard Magic deal is weird. I don't see you just flaming about all over, now do I?_" He berated Harry good-naturedly about how difficult his new abilities were. Harry just chuckled, but kept the idea of flame travel in his mind for later. Once he was free, Harry went to the Compendium for revenge, but he was swept away by even the brief introductory section, entitled "Poker Faces. And a Variety of Other Faces for Any Occasion". Harry, engrossed, began to read.

The key points of the chapter were surprising to Harry. The Marauders, in their trademark faux gravity, postulated that a poker face, instead of hiding all emotion, was most effective when it portrayed an emotion its wearer wasn't feeling. Harry found that the idea of never becoming flustered, or being at a loss for words, or showing fear or uncertainty quite intriguing. That night, he began the exercises outlined in the book, before falling asleep much too late, especially given what the next day and the start of his training would bring.

**A/N: Alright, so that should introduce the Harry/Fawkes relationship, and the evolution of their bond will be a hinging point of the story. This also explains why Harry suddenly is in a better mood and has more raw power. As always, I own nothing, and thanks to my beta KariMaud for letting me know I'm not crazy. Please review and come back for more!**

**Cartman1701: I share your concerns when the term "Badass" comes up usually, but in this story, Harry will work hard and still won't always win. He'll make mistakes, have trouble, and do stupid things. I call it "Badass" because he will be tough and well trained, like a Mad-Eye type, with fewer scars. And Occlumency will be a pain in the ass, promise.**

**Guest (1): Thanks! I think I have a pretty solid plan for this story actually, so I can't wait for it to come together.**

**Lord Jawblinneron: Thank you, I'm glad you enjoy it!**


	3. Blood, Sweat, and Tears

Birth of a Phoenix

Ch.3- Blood, Sweat, and Tears

**A/N: As usual, your response has surpassed even my wildest expectations. A reviewer said something last chapter that completely opened up a plot point I hadn't even considered. You guys are brilliant and I love reading your reviews! This chapter begins training for Harry and also the Continuing Rebirth of Severus Snape subplot. As always, I own nothing, but I hope you enjoy nevertheless! And don't be shy, leave a review!**

Harry awoke the next morning relatively early, his instincts that had for so long protected him from the Dursleys kicking in. He slipped down to his own kitchen and quickly made a light breakfast for himself, leaving some out for Remus and Sirius, whenever the two lumps hauled themselves out of bed. He sat down to eat, grabbing the newspaper from Hedwig, rewarding her with a warm pat and a bit of bacon. He finished and picked up the folded paper on the table. Opening it, he found that it was his schedule for the day. Apparently, each day would be different, adapting as needed. He gave it a quick once-over as he dressed. First was Defense, which had been allotted an hour, followed by Transfiguration, which had, for reasons Harry couldn't fathom, been allotted three hours. After that was lunch, then he went straight to Dueling for an hour and then to Occlumency with the dreaded Professor Snape. It was followed immediately by Potions, also with the dreaded Professor Snape. Finally that day he had Auror Skills, and then several hours in the evening for Independent Study, with a note that he should be exploring the benefits of his bond with Fawkes. Harry folded it away and set off for the Great Hall, where his Defense class was set to take place.

Harry was surprised, upon his arrival in the Great Hall, to find that instead of one Professor, he had an assembly of Professors and other people. Included amongst them were McGonagall, Hagrid, Flitwick, Snape, Mad-Eye Moody (The real one), a woman with bubblegum pink hair, a tall black man with a military haircut, Remus, and Sirius. Harry looked at them for a moment before McGonagall stepped up to speak.

"Good Morning Mr. Potter, we decided that for your first class, we should probably do an introductory session, to introduce ourselves and what we'll be teaching, as well as some other things," She waved her hand, conjuring enough chairs for the assembled group, who sat, "First off, your classes. Monday through Thursday you will be training with us in Defense, Dueling, Auror Skills, Transfiguration, Charms, Tactics and History, Potions, Arithmancy and Runes, and Occlumency and Legilimency. I'll yield the floor to each class' teachers for a brief syllabus," She sat down and Moody, the two in Aurors' robes, and Remus stood up. Moody opened

"Alright Potter, between the four of us, we'll be teaching Defense, Auror Skills, and Dueling. I'm Alastor Moody, the real one, you know Remus Lupin, and these two are Kingsley Shacklebolt and Nymphadora Tonks,"

"Just Tonks to you, kid," The woman interjected.

"Yes, she hates her first name. Anyways, In Defense, you will learn the same things you would in school. In Dueling, however, we'll teach you the fun stuff. Fighting! Whether it's with a wand, a sword, or your fists, you'll learn to be the best. Finally, Auror Skills is where you'll learn tracking, stealth, deductive reasoning, interrogation, and the like. Any questions? Good," Moody concluded. Next was Flitwick, who remained seated, primarily because he got shorter when he stood up.

"In charms, we will move away from boring household charms and get to work on various ways to incapacitate, harm, or otherwise disable as well as disguises and enchanting, plus whatever else you need," He squeaked with a glint. Harry had heard that Flitwick was once a champion dueler, so that class was assured to be interesting. Next in line were, surprisingly Remus and Sirius. It was Sirius who spoke.

"Okay Pup, in History and Tactics, we'll be teaching you how to plan things. We're also going to teach you why Purebloods like my dear family are the way they are," Sirius spoke with lilting sarcasm, "Know your enemy and whatnot. You'll also need to learn diplomacy, by which I mean the elegant art of kissing ass," Harry laughed. Any class with Sirius Black couldn't be boring, even History. Next was Snape, Harry groaned inwardly.

"I will be attempting to instruct you in the art of Potion-making, and I expect progress beyond anything you have ever shown me. Additionally, I have been delegated the onerous duty of teaching you Occlumency, the art of protecting your mind from invasion. If you believed that Potions was delicate, you have another thing coming when it comes to the arts of the mind," Harry shivered, that didn't sound pleasant. Finally, McGonagall rose.

"I will be teaching you Transfiguration, focusing on combat Transfiguration, and also Arithmancy and Runes, where you will be expected to gain a basic mastery of the subjects before we apply it to fighting Dark Lords," Harry did a double take. The notoriously strict McGonagall had just cracked a joke, and even smiled a bit. Harry observed that several of those gathered were not teaching, noticing this, McGonagall added, "The rest of us will be here either to aid other teachers or to assist you in your independent studies. Now there is one more thing I believe we must address. Your power, Mr. Potter, has grown significantly and you are now one of the more powerful wizards in the world, as raw core strength goes," McGonagall hoped Harry would get over his modesty and accept it, but, true to form, he did not.

"What? No, that can't be right, a lot of people do way better in class than I do, and when I do magic I still feel tired all the time!" Harry protested vehemently.

"Mr. Potter, I believe your lack of success in class is less about your abilities and more about some deep-seated need to allow others to do better than you," Harry flinched, knowing, deep down, that she was right, "Now your power, which you so humbly refuse to believe in, is slightly more complicated to comprehend. Initially, when you were born, your magical potential was measured already to be very high, and your years at the Dursleys' and with Voldemort's essence in your scar, it only grew," She saw Harry's confusion and came up with a better metaphor, "Your magic is like a muscle Harry, everyone is born with different muscle strength and different potential. Your friend Hermione has the magical equivalent of great muscle memory. Now like muscles, the more you work your magic, the stronger it will become. Imagine if, starting at one year of age, a person had a heavy rock placed on their shoulders and had to carry it all the time, all while keeping up with his counterparts. Over time, his muscles would adapt and become strong enough to keep up with everyone else while still carrying that load. Now suddenly, one day that burden is removed. He is now much stronger because he is no longer fighting the weight and can use his strength for other things," McGonagall took pride at the understanding that welled up in Harry's eyes, "Now I believe that almost concludes our time here. You and I will remain here, the rest of you, have a good day," It was obviously a dismissal, and the group quickly disappeared, away from McGonagall's stern gaze.

When the room cleared, McGonagall sat, conjured a desk and turned to Harry once more, "Well Mr. Potter, I'm sure you're wondering why such a ridiculous amount of time has been given to my class. It is because we will be beginning what many consider the most difficult Transfiguration there is, indeed, many cannot do it at all. It is the Animagus transformation. Originally, I was going to save this for later, but upon discovering that you will be spending time in close proximity to Sirius Black, I have decided that you should learn it from someone with a Mastery in Transfiguration, not someone who achieved it under the cover of darkness whilst still in school," Harry laughed and the corner of McGonagall's lip twitched, almost smiling, "The fundamental steps are quite simple, you take the potion, find out your animal, and then begin meditating to draw it out and transform. Today I will be administering the potion to you, putting you in a trance, hence the three hours," She reached in her robes and pulled out a vial, handing it to Harry. She conjured a large mattress for him to sit on, "Now, when you drink the potion, you should see a field of different animals, but you will only feel a draw to one. It will touch you and you will wake, and that will be your form," She gave Harry the go-ahead and he downed the potion, falling into the trance and backwards onto the mat.

Harry did indeed find himself in a large field of animals, ranging from the domestic to the exotic. He sat down on a rock and waited for an animal to approach him. After several minutes, a large, regal wolf began to stride towards Harry. It stopped in front of him as if appraising him and then stepped close to him, pressing their foreheads together. Harry felt a chill and then the wolf's colors had changed. Its eyes were green and its coat was black, but instead of waking, Harry watched as the wolf sat next to him. Harry frowned, but could do nothing but continue to wait. Soon enough, a huge snake slithered towards Harry, rising up. Its head sprung forward, pressing against Harry's like the wolf had. Similarly, its colors also changed, its scales becoming black and its eyes green. But still Harry remained, with the snake coiled at his feet. Another few minutes passed before Harry was approached again, this time by a lean, powerful panther. Like the two before it, it touched heads with Harry and changed colors. It then settled opposite of the wolf on Harry's other side. Harry was beginning to get worried, when he heard a joyous cry. Looking up, he saw a gorgeous Phoenix diving towards him. It landed on Harry's lap, nipped his nose and then laid its head against his. Unlike the others, only the Phoenix's eyes changed. This time, Harry snapped awake, sitting up on the mattress. He let out a long breath.

"Is everything alright Mr. Potter? What animal will you take?" McGonagall looked mildly concerned.

"Well, I'm not actually sure, you see," Harry began, confused.

"You were out for longer than is normal, did you not see an animal? It's quite alright if you didn't, a majority of people can't," She looked more concerned now.

"Oh no, quite the opposite actually. I saw a wolf," Se brightened at this, "and then a snake, and then a panther, and then a Phoenix," She now looked confused.

"Well, which one touched you?"

"All of them," Harry stated. Fawkes came to settle on his shoulder, chuckling mentally.

"Oh," McGonagall looked floored, "Well, it has long been rumored that Merlin had two forms, but four? That is quite the feat," Harry's mind was already going a mind a minute though.

"_You know, I inherited Voldemort's Parseltongue abilities, I wonder if I also got his Animagus form, that would explain the snake_," Harry spoke to Fawkes, who was quite well educated after many years in Dumbledore's office.

"_Quite possible, also the Phoenix form could be a result of our bond, which leaves only the panther and the wolf as your forms_," That made sense, but they agreed to ask McGonagall. She was the expert after all.

"Thinking about it, could I have adopted the snake from Voldemort, like parseltongue? And then the Phoenix could be because I've bonded to one," Harry proposed to the Professor, who nodded once, deep in thought.

"Yes, that could be, and then the wolf and the panther could both be yours because of their physiological similarities, making it easy to become both," She said, half to herself, "That is quite intriguing by any means Mr. Potter, but it will not do to dwell, what form would you wish to pursue first?" Harry thought for a moment before coming to a decision.

"The wolf first," Fawkes gave him an indignant look, "The Phoenix strikes me as immensely difficult," Fawkes huffed.

"You are probably right. We are almost out of time, but I want you to take this book. In it, find the picture of the wolf and tap it. It will move, run, jump, etc. Observe how it moves and what it looks like, the clearer the picture in your head is, the easier the transformation will be," Harry nodded in thanks and she dismissed him. He returned to his quarters for lunch.

* * *

When he arrived, Harry found that Sirius and Remus had practically lit the kitchen on fire. He shook his head, dousing the roaring flame that had ignited from the bowl in the center of the counter before rounding on his Godfather and Remus.

"How do you two idiots survive? You can't even make food properly," He shook his head, trying to look exasperated, but secretly laughing.

"Hey! It was just corn flakes, I don't know how we screwed it up; Mooney was the one who tried to stir it with a spell!" Sirius threw up his hands and Remus looked at his feet.

"Only you two could catch cereal on fire," Harry shook his head, "From now on, leave the cooking to me, okay?" The two Marauders nodded vigorously and Harry set to work making grilled sandwiches. He served them and the three sat down to eat. While they were eating, Harry asked a question that had been nagging at him.

"Okay, so if Sirius is my Godfather, what is Remus?" He asked the two men and both immediately perked up.

"I'm your other Godfather, I suppose," Remus replied, but Sirius waggled a finger in his face.

"Nope! There can only be one Godfather! _You_ are the God_mother_, obviously," Sirius and Harry laughed at Remus' expression, a mixture of shock and anger.

"Yeah, you can be my Furry Godmother Remus!" Harry teased, referring to Remus' 'Furry Little Problem'. Remus glared and Sirius and Harry high-fived, both still giggling.

"Okay, very funny, time for Harry to go to class, can't skip when you're the only student," Remus practically shoved Harry out the door, still looking mildly irked. Harry winked at him and held out his arm for Fawkes to land on as he swooped out of the room. The duo made small talk in their minds as they made the short walk back to the Great Hall where Harry would be learning Dueling.

* * *

Harry's four Dueling teachers were quite possibly the most entertaining, but also the most effective, teachers Harry had ever had. Moody was emphatic and direct, and every point he taught had a scar and a story to back it up. Kingsley was a powerful presence, both in body and in attitude. He was warm and kind and his booming laugh was vaguely Hagrid-esque. The best part, however, had to be Lupin and Tonks, who – despite their only recent meeting – played off each other like longtime friends and bickered good-naturedly. Harry was, within the class period, certain that they would end up together. He had never seen Mooney smile so much. The subject matter, on a completely different note, wasn't any kind of fun and games. The period had begun with a 'test' of Harry's abilities, which was really just the 4 teachers ganging up on Harry and beating him into the floor. He had, they claimed, impressed them, but Moody had started him off by setting him to do physical training. So that was how Harry found himself running around the lake while Tonks followed him on a broom, teasing him relentlessly and hitting him in the bum with Stinging Hexes whenever he slowed down too much. Finally, he collapsed his entire body feeling like jelly.

"Excellent work, Potter, we'll make a competent dueler out of you yet," Moody stood over him and stuck out his hand and Harry took it. Moody hauled him to his feet and then promptly swept them out from under him and drove his palm into Harry's sternum, sending him back to the ground, "Just a preview for tomorrow. Remember, Constant Vigilance!" He laughed and Harry groaned.

Harry somehow managed to haul his beaten body to the dungeons, where he would be forced to endure an hour of mind-rape with all of Gryffindor's favorite greasy haired bat.

* * *

"You are late, it is a shame I cannot take house points during the summer, Potter," Snape sneered at Harry, and Harry groaned, "Many instructors of Occlumency will try to tell you simply to clear your mind of all thoughts in order to perform Occlumency. They are idiots. Instead of trying to clear your mind, I want you to focus on a wall made of the strongest material you can think of and imagine it shielding your thought, ready, Legilimens!" Snape attacked viciously and Harry tried to picture the walls of Hogwarts Castle, but the illusion blown apart by Snape, who began moving towards Harry's more personal memories. Finally he managed to drive Snape out, but the attack immediately recommenced. By the fifth onslaught, Harry's head was pounding and Snape hadn't reduced his power at all. Finally, as Snape began to try to dig into Harry's memory of his conversation with Ginny, one of the most personal and intimate experiences of Harry's life, Harry reached out for one last rage-fueled gambit. He called up his memory of Voldemort's Crutacious in the graveyard, and of the way it had combined with his scar pain to make Harry want to die more than anything. He gathered the memory and he forced Snape into it and held him there with all of his might. He watched as Snape's eyes went wide and his body began to convulse, and Harry panicked. When he finally managed to release Snape from the memory, the many didn't move, except to quiver slightly in a heap on the floor. Harry rushed over to the man, his innate compassion trumping any of the hatred he felt for the man at the moment. He rolled the man over and shook him, but he received no response. He gripped the sides of the man's head, willing him to get better, to wake up. Suddenly, Harry's palms began to glow a soft gold and Snape's tremors ceased. In that moment, Severus Snape awoke staring up at the face of Harry Potter and, for the first time, saw not the black hair of James Potter but the green eyes, sparkling with concern, that had made him care for Lily Evans. Harry, in similar fashions, was not seeing the greasy, hook-nosed, bat-like git that he knew to be Snape, but rather a tortured soul who routinely put his life on the line for a cause. Even if that cause was Severus Snape. Something passed between the two men then that would change their relationship forever.

"Are you all right Professor?" Harry extended his hand to the prostrate man.

"Yes, I'll be fine Potter, that was quite an, ingenious, tactic I must say, even if it lacked any form of subtlety," He seemed to take a deep breath, "Harry, we need to have a long talk, I believe," He said, shocking Harry with his use of his first name, "I understand that you don't trust me, and I will admit that I have given you no reason to. You have expressed concern about Dumbledore's trust in me, so allow me to enlighten you about my… motivations. I knew Lily Evans since before Hogwarts; I was the one who told her what she was and taught her about the magical world. We were close, even after we were sorted into opposite houses. Matter of fact, she was like a sister to me, the only person to ever truly care for me, but then I did something stupid and pushed her away, so I turned to find that family bond wherever I could. It just so happened that I found it with the Death Eaters. It was I who told the Prophecy, the first part of it, to Voldemort, not knowing that it would bring about the death of your mother. When he killed her, well, my loyalty always lay with Lily Evans, and by extension, Albus Dumbledore," Snape let out a long sigh and, assuming Harry's eyes were not playing tricks on him, wiped away a few tears. Harry blinked slowly, trying to cope as his worldview shattered around him. Snape not a bastard, what would be next? Would gravity suddenly stop holding him down? Would the Dursleys welcome him back with open arms?

"_Wait, is Snape showing his feelings? I'll be waiting on the invitation to Voldemort's tea party any day now,_" Fawkes summed up Harry's feelings quite well as he flashed in to settle on Harry's shoulder, "_Sorry I'm late, I was busy… uh… hunting,_ _yeah, that's it,_"

"_You forget that I always know where you are. Namely, in the kitchen abusing Dobby's kindness,_" Harry sustained his mental back-and-forth with Fawkes while simultaneously following Snape's instructions as he hurriedly – and rather awkwardly – moved on to Potions, obviously eager to leave his sentimental moment in the past. He did not, however, reinstate his normal mode of snarky sarcasm and biting remarks, which both pleased and confused Harry immensely.

* * *

Harry exited the Great Hall after dinner with the staff, wherein he had partaken in a lengthy review of his performance courtesy of Mad-Eye Moody, who had informed him that his effort had not been enough to defeat Voldemort and he would have to try harder. Harry hadn't appreciated the sentiment. He was currently on his way up to the library with Fawkes perched on his shoulder trilling some happy tune. Tonight he and Fawkes planned to explore the depths of their bond in an attempt to uncover just what they were capable of. As he walked, Harry reflected on how much his life had already changed because of the bond he shared with the majestic Phoenix. He no longer had a piece of Voldemort inside his head, which had expanded his magical power and for the first time, Harry felt at peace with himself. He no longer had fits of anger and sadness, and his temperament had mellowed, both with the removal of Voldemort and the introduction of Fawkes. In a short time, Fawkes had become invaluable to Harry as a friend, a sounding board, and a confidant. Their thought-speak and much more primal sharing of emotions had quickly become intrinsic to Harry's nature, and he had yet to find a downside to their interactions. Harry flopped down into a chair in the library and Fawkes perched on the back of the seat across from him.

"_So, how do you want to go about this?_" Harry asked Fawkes, who he assumed was the more knowledgeable about the subject.

"_I have no bloody clue, I mean, how the hell do I describe something so instinctual? I've been doing this stuff since birth,_" Fawkes replied, quite unhelpfully, but it gave Harry an idea.

"_Instinct! I mean, we share thoughts, so if you do something, say flame, and I pay attention to your mind when you do it, I can try to replicate it!_" Harry thought rapidly. He knew it was a stretch, but he hoped it might at least give him a start.

It turned out to be more than just a start. Matter of fact, when one attempted something; it seemed to spark an almost instinctive knowledge of the ability. In almost no time, Harry was flaming about and controlling fire like a pro while Fawkes experimented with Transfiguration and a little bit of Charms work. Soon enough, they were ready to try to find out what could be done when they combined their powers. Only slightly after that, they were both exhausted from the tremendous amount of energy they had expended.

"_Merlin I really don't want to walk all the way back to my room,_" Harry sighed, but then he chuckled, "_Good thing I don't have to!_" He closed his eyes and felt the flames rapidly like up his body. As they warmth receded, he opened his eyes and saw the gaping expressions of Remus and Sirius. "Hello gents, I trust everything is as not-on-fire as I left it?" Harry smirked at the two speechless Marauders before setting his entire body on fire, just for effect. Finally, Remus recovered enough to congratulate Harry and Sirius managed to get out a quip about how Harry was 'never going to be as hot as he was, but there was no need to be all jealous'. This threw all three of them into a fit of laughter for a solid twenty minutes. When it died down, Harry retired to bed with a smile. Yes, life was pretty damn good for Harry Potter, even if it looked like training was going to be a bitch.

**A/N: Okay, so that's another chapter done after much too long. Unfortunately, finals have consumed my life, followed much too quickly by Christmas, effectively back-burnering writing for a while. I'm also trying to finish another chapter of Vanishing Act, but my muse is being a bit of an uncooperative bitch, so it may take a while. On the topic of this story though, please tell me what you think with that lovely review box, even if its criticism. Every response I get is a jumpstart for my brain. Not to mention my muse is a total attention whore. Anywho, all of you who take the time to read this are amazing, thank you!**

**Karl Skywalker- **Thank You! I do think my explanation for Dumbledore's behavior rather clever, if I may say so myself. A big part of writing, and by extension my problems with fanfiction, for me is plausibility, so hearing that you agree with me is great. I will get into the Weasleys – Ginny and Molly especially – soon, probably the next 2 chapters or so so don't worry.

**Mazzax- **You, dear sir or madam, are brilliant. I love it when people put their intellect to work to breathe life into the world of a work of fiction. Its people like you that have created the rich tapestry of Harry Potter fan universes that drew me into writing in the first place. Unfortunately, having Harry be an instant Occlumens would throw a wrench is my Snape subplot…

**Cartman1701- **I try very hard to intersperse some humor into all parts of the story, and I do think that the removal of the Harry-crux is one of my better ideas, for the exposition of the story at least, so thank you. I very much enjoyed writing the scene between Harry and the Marauders, who will always serve as my comic relief. Don't worry about Fawkes; he and Harry won't be vocalizing a ton of conversations, even if he's always there. I do try to make him not annoying, but he is a bird, so he'll take a little practice with human interaction.

**Martin.b- **Thanks, and I hope to relieve your anxiety soon!


	4. The Man in the Tower

Birth of a Phoenix

Ch.4- The Man in the Tower

**A/N: Yeah, lucky you, 30 hours or so of travel have given me ample time to write, so, in this chapter, I introduce my big secret (kind of) character to train Harry. So this has been used before, in different ways, but I hope, as usual, to put a fresh and clever spin on things. Also in this chapter, the Continuing Rebirth of Severus Snape, which I'm trying not to make too sudden, and an important Harry/Ginny moment. How am I doing? As always, read, enjoy, and please leave a review. I love the inspiration, even the constructive criticism, as long as its intelligent. Also, I own nothing. So, without further ado, enjoy the show!**

Harry's training continued for the next two days in the same semi-brutal fashion. Moody seemed dead set on breaking him and remaking him, McGonagall was living up to her reputation as a taskmaster about his Animagus skills, and Snape was, well, Snape. Even without the anti-Harry attitude, Snape was still a relentless teacher. Despite all that, Harry was having the time of his life. Today, however it was time for his first visit to his mysterious off-site tutor, and Harry was a little nervous, to say the least. Dumbledore had talked this man up to be nothing short of legendary. Harry rolled out of bed and slid into the shower, allowing the warm water to ease his aching muscles. He eventually got out and dressed before heading downstairs to make breakfast. At the bottom of the stairs, Harry almost plowed head first into a very sleepy Tonks. She was wearing one of Remus' shirts and there was some level of disheveled that even a Metamorphmagus couldn't get rid of. This made Harry grin like a maniac as he mentally instructed Fawkes to go and wake Sirius, because there was no way in hell they were going to let this go by without taking the mickey out of Remus about it. Harry wordlessly began to make coffee whilst waiting for his partner in crime. Sure enough, Sirius soon arrived.

"Harry, what is with that bloody bird! It's way too early to be up and... Oh! Oh, this is excellent! Hello dear cousin Nymphadora, did you sleep well?" Sirius' grin nearly split his face and his grey eyes sparkled with mischief. As he walked by Harry to get his cup of steaming coffee Harry whispered in his ear.

"Concerned parents routine?" Harry asked with no small amount of glee.

"Absolutely," Sirius slid into a chair across from Tonks, who fixed him with a withering glare, which he artfully ignored, "Now Ms. Tonks, if you can make our dear Remus happy, we of course have no complaints," Sirius began with the Marauders' trademark mock seriousness.

"But we must warn you, Remus is a very special boy, and he has some very special issues," Harry continued, suppressing his grin.

"You mean he's a werewolf, I'm completely okay with that," Tonks said, trying to stave off the duo, but they were not to be denied.

"Oh no no, we were referring more to his commitment issues, his dreadful lack of self-esteem, and the fact that he's an insatiable bookworm," Sirius commented. Remus chose that exact moment to enter the room and growled at the two men who were harassing his lover.

"He also absolutely cannot take a joke," Harry added, smirking at the wolf. Remus harrumphed indignantly.

"You can't be serious?" Remus protested, instantly wincing as he realized what he had set himself up for, but it was too late.

"Well of course not, _He's_ Sirius, I'm Harry," Harry deadpanned and Sirius' reserve finally broke and he cackled hysterically, and Harry and Tonks joined him. Remus glared at them and swiped Sirius' coffee, draining it while he was rolling about on the floor. Five minute later, Sirius was still on the floor, and Harry was losing patience. Calling up a jinx from the Compendium, one that his mother had recommended, Harry flicked his wrist and turned Sirius' tongue to turn into a mass of writhing tentacles. This began a hex war that resulted in Harry being quite late to the Headmaster's office.

* * *

Harry flew through the Headmaster's office door after flaming through the gargoyle instead of trying to guess the password.

"So sorry I'm late, Professor," Harry panted as he leaned on the elderly wizard's desk, "I got, er, distracted," He said lamely.

"Of course you did Harry, but it's no matter, my friend has nothing if not time," Dumbledore smiled past his steepled fingers and rose, extending his arm to Harry.

"Ok, so where are we going? Will we be apparating?"

"Actually, I was hoping we could borrow Fawkes,"

"Ok, sure, so where exactly are we going?" Harry asked again, as he had been asking all week, with increasing frustration.

As usual, Dumbledore responded, "sometimes the best thing in life is a good surprise," he blinked in surprise for a moment when Fawkes came to rest on Harry's shoulder instead of his, as he had for many years. Brushing it off with a small smile, Dumbledore nodded to Fawkes, "Fawkes has been there before, if you would be so kind," Fawkes trilled in agreement and Harry felt the now familiar spread of warmth as Hogwarts faded from view and a new, darker castle reappeared. The dark stone fortress sat on a cold windswept hill. It was long and squat except for a tall tower that jutted out, piercing the clouded sky.

"_Ok, so where exactly are we?_" Harry asked Fawkes, hoping to finally get an answer, while feeling slightly stupid for not asking him earlier.

"_Welcome to Nurmengard Prison, brother,_" Fawkes gave a trilled chuckle as the two men set up along the rocky path towards a huge stone arch that signified the entrance to the stronghold. They walked past block after block of empty cells and ascended the dark tower. At the very top, Dumbledore gave a drop of his blood to open a huge stone door. Inside it was not a cell like the others, but instead a large, comfortable room, with a couple comfortable chairs, a bookshelf, and the other furnishings of a comfortable house. In one of the chairs sat an aging man with salt and pepper hair that hung around his shoulders and adorned his face. He was idly twirling his wand as Harry entered the room.

"Harry, I would like for you to meet an old friend of mine, and one of the few men who could be called my equal," Dumbledore drew the other man into a close hug. Something Hermione had once said struck Harry at that moment.

"But the only person still alive who was ever able to match you was... Wait, is he Grindlewald?" Harry asked in shock as he made the connection.

"Ah very good, ten points to Gryffindor Mr. Potter, I am Gellert Grindlewald," the strange man extended his hand, and Harry took it, slightly reluctantly.

"I thought you were the greatest Dark Wizard in recent memory, before Voldemort anyways?" Harry was highly confused now as he stood in the middle of the positively luxurious prison cell of Gellert Grindlewald, who was in possession of a wand and had just been hugged by his supposed mortal enemy.

"Well, yes, but I like to consider it my rebellious teenage years, except due to my considerable power, they were both considerably longer and more destructive than the normal person's," he chuckled affably.

"You single-handedly started the Second World War! How can you laugh about it?" Harry asked, shocked. Grindlewald sobered as a sad look crossed his face.

"Harry, may I call you Harry? Let me tell you a story about a young man who was destined to be a powerful wizard. His father was a Durmstrang graduate, enamored with the Dark Arts. The boy was sent to his father's alma mater where he was constantly taught that Dark Wizards were only the men willing to do anything necessary to achieve power, and he took that motto to heart. He was eventually expelled from Durmstrang, but he justified it, saying that they could not handle what was necessary for the 'Greater Good', where he had to take power from those who couldn't handle it, for their own sakes. That became my cause," He sighed, resting his head in his hands.

"So what changed?" Harry asked, thoroughly engrossed in the story.

"I met a man who was truly evil, an ambitious young Muggle by the name of Adolf Hitler. In the beginning, he seemed perfect to be my face in the Muggle world, but once I had assured the rise of the Third Reich, everything changed," he took a deep breath, "Hitler used his newfound power to try to find a better weapon, a 'wunderwaffe' to end all resistance. He knew of the power I held, and he turned his scientists loose to take it and give it to his soldiers. They took the gypsies, who Hitler determined were the most likely to be magical, and his scientists began to conduct their sadistic tests. Eventually, I began to have second thoughts, tried to stop what I had set in motion, so he used one of his creations on me, a bizarre blend of potions and muggle narcotics which had the effect of destroying my mental barriers and giving him control of my body," He stopped for a moment to stabilize himself, "He had, by this point, built his SS units to be capable killing machines. They were made of a mix of vampire covens, elite Muggle infantrymen, and wizards all loyal to his cause. The combination of their skills made them nigh unstoppable. He forced me to serve in one of the best of these units, committing horrible acts that are scarred into my mind forever. Finally, on one fateful night, we were conducting a routine raid when we came upon a group of Allies, with Dumbledore and his Order of the Phoenix in their company. Even as my body began to attack him, my heart rejoiced at the sight of my old friend. Many consider that duel the greatest of all time, but they don't even know the half of it. Albus fought my body with his wand while also battling Hitler's drug in my mind. Finally, he managed to end its influence enough to allow me to fight it, which was all he needed to break through my defenses. In the end, the supposed Dark Lord Grindlewald was defeated with a stunning spell," Grindlewald finished his tale, and Dumbledore wiped his eyes surreptitiously. Harry sat dumbstruck for a moment.

"So you're going to teach me to fight Voldemort?" He asked after a moment.

"Yes, who better to teach you to fight a Dark Lord than someone who was one," Grindlewald smirked, "Additionally, I will be one of a few people who can keep up with your power once you come in to it, and I'm not restrained by any of Dumbledore's pesky Vows," The weight on Grindlewald's shoulders that had been so obvious during his tale was now completely disappeared.

"Also, Gellert's time working with both Muggle and Magical fighters lends him a unique perspective on fighting," Dumbledore interjected, "I will leave you here for two days at a time or so, and you will study with Gellert, I will take my leave and allow him to describe his curriculum to you, and I will see you tomorrow afternoon, best of luck to you both," Dumbledore smiled at the two of them and Fawkes flamed him away and then instantly returned to settle back on Harry's shoulder.

"Very well, during our time together, I will not spend so much time teaching you specific spells or curses or whatnot, but rather I will be tying together all the things that you learn from your other instructors. Today we will start with an overview of my method. As some background, my method is derived from what we were taught in the SS, it is a doctrine that emphasizes the strengths of each of the three distinct components; the vampires, the muggles, and the wizards. The three disciplines that reflected these strengths were Shadow, Fire, and Lightning respectively. Shadow emphasizes moving silently and quickly, unnoticed by the enemy, even when you strike. Lightning highlights shock and awe in a focused attack, say a wizard melting a small group of soldiers with acid or something of the sort. Finally, Fire values creating lots of destruction really fast, often through Muggle machine guns or bombs. To describe their effectiveness, one cannot do justice with words, hence, a pensieve memory," Grindlewald gestured to the stone bowl and Harry submerged his head.

* * *

Once he entered the memory, he found himself alongside a group of men dressed in German uniforms, one of whom was a younger Grindlewald. On either side of him were men who, by the pallor of their skin, had to be vampires who were carrying crossbows and swords. Another set of men who stood behind him carried machine weapons while a couple others grasped wands. The fifteen or so men stood on the outskirts of a small village, which seemed to be occupied by at least 100 enemy soldiers. Harry followed the group as they ascended the rooftops, dividing into several smaller groups. Grindlewald's group moved quietly into the heart of the village, still hidden by the shadows of the roofs. Eventually, the came across a small group of enemy soldiers in an alley below them. With a single hand-gesture, Grindlewald ordered the vampires into action, and, in a flash, the men were dead, impaled by either arrows or fangs. They continued to move until they reached the absolute center of the enemy encampment, which was when the battle truly began. On some unseen signal, Grindlewald rose up and he and several other wizards sent ridiculously powerful Exploder Curses at the tanks scattered around the village square, sending them up in flames. As klaxons sounded and the enemy scrambled below them, the muggle soldiers began to pour machine gun fire into the crowd while the wizards shifted to fire spells. The vampires had taken up positions at the exits to the square, and were feasting on deserters. In a few heated minutes of unimaginable horror, it was over. Harry withdrew from the memory and, as images of horribly mutilated corpses and charred bodies flickered in his vision, he vomited violently.

* * *

"That is a reaction you will need to learn to quell, we are at war, now what did you see?" And so their lesson continued, with Grindlewald showing Harry some memory of war collected over the years, then they would discuss before Grindlewald would quiz Harry relentlessly about the application of the strategies. Often they would break up the theoretical work with duels and other practical exercises, like spotting disillusioned objects or improving his night vision. True to his word, Grindlewald brought all of the fragmented bits of knowledge Harry was learning at Hogwarts together and helped him mold them into a cohesive style. Harry was introduced to several new tools, including the sword, knives, and even the bow and arrows. As it turned out, Harry's legendary Seeker skills carried over well into physical combat, but that didn't make him an expert by any stretch, or even good. As it was, Grindlewald had pummeled him. After his first two days in the Grindlewald School of Warfare, Harry returned to the school full of new information and confusion. He was greatly looking forward to having two days off to process it all. Another unfortunate complication appeared that night, when Harry found his nightmares filled with memories that were not his own blended horrifically with his own terrible life experiences. Grindlewald, the merciless instructor that he was, insisted that this was for the best if Harry were to become a fighter, as he would need to overcome his qualms about taking lives. To Harry's surprise, both Dumbledore and Fawkes had heartily agreed.

"_It is time for the Darkness to meet its maker, and there is no one whom I trust more than you to do it_," Fawkes had reassured him.

"_I don't want to be a murderer, Fawkes, I don't want to kill anyone_," Harry had protested.

"_It's not murder Harry, you're purging the world of evil so that the good may live in peace, it is a worthy cause, brother, though I recognize your purity of heart for the sentiment_," Fawkes trilled a comforting and inspiring song and Harry affectionately ruffled his head feathers.

"_Thank you, it's just going to take some getting used to, but I guess if you're okay with it, then its probably fine, right?_" Harry said with a weak chuckle. He rested his head on his desk and stared at the parchment in front of him. He was taking a page out of Hermione's book and was writing down his thoughts in an attempt to figure out what was bouncing around in his head. To that point, the parchment was blank. Unfortunately for Harry's state of mind, Sirius and Remus were out somewhere, probably getting very, very drunk. Harry shook his head at the antics of his godparents, who Harry often felt we're his responsibility, instead of the other way around. Thankfully at that moment Hedwig arrived to save Harry from himself bearing letters. Harry grinned and tore hungrily into the letters from Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. Ron and Hermione's letters contained the expected condolences about another summer at the Dursley's, which made Harry's gut twinge for his dishonesty, but beyond that Hermione regaled him with tales of the beginning of her European voyage, namely France, which was her family's first stop. Harry quickly scrawled out a response, asking her to send him some souvenirs and maybe some books, and to keep him updated so that he could live vicariously through her. He studiously ignored her questions about his feelings. Next was Ron's letter, which bemoaned the luck of the Cannons and the fact that Hermione was going to Bulgaria and might see Vicky, which made Harry roll his eyes. Ron's letter also contained a package of chocolate frogs, which Harry split between himself and his two birds. Finally came Ginny's letter, which Harry handled almost reverently. It was as long as Ron and Hermione's letters combined, and Harry could tell by the changes in ink that it had been written over the course of several days. He read it slowly, taking in every detail of Ginny's beautiful script.

_Dear Harry,_

_How's life at Hogwarts during the summer? Honestly, I'm kinda jealous of you, learning all of that cool magic and stuff. I'm sure it's hard of course, but it has to better than those horrible relatives of yours, right? I'm having a great time this summer myself, I think I want to try out for the Quidditch team next year as a Chaser, so I've been practicing a lot. I think I'm pretty good, since I've been stealing my brothers' brooms since I was six. None of them ever caught me! I feel kind of bad letting Ron and Hermione worry about you, thinking you're with your relatives (not that Ron seems all that concerned or anything) but it's also kinda fun being the only one who knows your secret. My mum is distraught that you can't spend any time here over the summer, and I was wondering if you could maybe at least get away for your birthday. Talk to Dumbledore about it, would you? Ron has been a real prat this summer, especially about me and Michael. It's like he can't understand that my personal life is just that, personal. I think the only person he would even be remotely okay with me dating would be you, or maybe Neville. For now I'm going to have to live with his disapproval. Honestly, Michael has kind of lost his allure. Once you get down to it, he's a bit of an arrogant berk. I'm only keeping him around to annoy Ron. I suppose girls aren't really your top priority right now, but is there anyone you've got your eye on. Do you still have that thing for Cho Chang? It's okay if you don't want to talk about it, I'm just making conversation. Anyways, I'm having Michael over lunch, but I'll probably end up breaking up with him, so wish me luck!_

_With Love,_

_Ginny_

Harry smiled heartily at the letter, but he couldn't explain the odd way his heart thudded when she alluded to the, dating. He suppressed his own glee at the thought if her breaking up with Michael, who, Harry agreed, was indeed an arrogant prick. Even the 'with love' at the end invoked strange feelings in Harry's stomach. Harry loved Ginny's style, how she asked him how he was without prying, but while still being sensitive. He smiled the whole time he wrote out his letters and gave them all, save one, to Hedwig. Hedwig glared at him and hooted indignantly when he have Ginny's letter to Fawkes, and Harry tried to assuage her.

"I'm sorry girl, I just want that letter delivered discreetly, and you're much to pretty to go unnoticed, so I have to give it to Fawkes, ok?" Hedwig puffed herself up indignantly, but acquiesced. Harry's bird companions set out with their cargo and Harry sat down and flipped open the Compendium and read a few passages.

Several minutes later, Fawkes reappeared clutching a letter. Harry greedily snatched it up, but blanched when he saw tear spots on the parchment. He read it, and found that before Ginny could break up with Michael, he had broken up with her for 'not putting out' which made Harry sick with fury. Then Ron had proceeded to shout at her about misplacing her trust, and had reminded her what had happened to her the last time she had trusted someone like that, going so far as to blame Ginny for Harry and Hermione's injuries. Ginny had fled to her room and found Fawkes waiting and had written her letter to Harry. It took all of thirty seconds for Harry to make his decision. Fawkes trilled in concurrence and landed on Harry's arm. In a warm swirl of flame, they reappeared in Ginny's bedroom.

* * *

Ginny had been sitting slumped over on the edge of her bed, crying for the better part of half an hour when Harry arrived, and when he saw her pitiful condition, he was across the room in two strides, dropping down next to her, pulling her into her arms. She burrowed into his chest, pressing her tear-stained face into Harry's shirt. He ran a comforting hand down her back and allowed her to cry herself out. Finally, she had cried herself out.

"Harry?" She sniffled, pulling back a little from his shirt.

"Yeah Gin?" Harry's voice was quiet and gentle in her ear.

"Thank you. But for future reference, never magically appear in a woman's room without announcing yourself, I could have been naked or something," she joked feebly, and Harry just managed to keep his breath from hitching at the mental image.

"Of course, sorry, my bad," he mumbled, releasing her a little bit. She tried in vain to snuggle closer, but Harry had suddenly become dedicated to making space between them.

"So Michael broke up with you, huh?" Harry asked with genuine concern and poorly masked anger.

"Yeah… I told him we needed to talk, and I guess he saw it coming and decided to end things on his own terms, but that's not what I'm upset about. It's Ron being an absolute prat about it, and then he went and brought the Ch-Chamber into it, and then Mum went and agreed with him, and it was just too much," She stumbled over the name of the place that had caused her so many horrors and Harry instinctively pulled her closer, kissing the top of her head without thinking about it. He comforted her until she fell asleep. When her breathing slowed, he lay her down in her bed and tucked her in. He brushed a loose strand of her hair back and kissed her forehead quickly before turning and leaving in another ball of flame.

* * *

In another part of England, Severus Snape bowed before the Dark Lord, ready to receive his first orders in many years. He stood amongst several other hooded figures, the Dark Lord's feared Inner Circle.

"Severus, is your position at Hogwarts secure?" Voldemort's unearthly high-pitched voice echoed throughout the dungeon.

"Completely, my lord, the old fool has no clue where my loyalty truly lies," He spoke in a monotone, consciously pulling his Occlumency shields tightly around his mind.

"Excellent, by the end of this year, the old codger and his media darling protégé will be dead and the Prophecy will be mine, and I will finally have what I deserve!" Voldemort cackled boldly, "But remember Severus, if the young Potter had never been born, your beloved Lily would never have died," He cackled again and dismissed his followers. Snape left in turmoil. Intellectually, he knew Voldemort was trying to get a rise out of him, but something deep in his chest howled in rage at the Potter boy all the same. The little brat was using Lily's memory against him, he could see it now, and he would grant him no quarter to make up for this momentary lapse in his guard. He spun away with a sneer and a swirl of cloak. The Dark Lord was at work once more, and his first strike would be glorious and catastrophic all at the same time, and no one would be able to stop it, no one at all.

**A/N: Okay, so some important plot bits, some other less important plot bits, and some Marauder fluff. Okay, so in regards to Harry/Ginny, don't expect them to get together until after Harry's fifth year. They are going to go through the awkward "just friends" stage and both will date other people. Not Cho Chang though, I hate Cho Chang. Anyways, please leave a review, because anything helps and makes me feel loved and etcetera. As always, I own nothing. All of you are fantastic people, even more so if you review, follow, favorite, and beyond, thank you!**

**Raven Whitewolf- **Thank you for the generous complement! And, no, the abilities imparted by Voldemort's soul remain with Harry. The soul is, I imagine, a resilient thing and can absorb the good (i.e. the new abilities) while rejecting the bad (i.e. complete possession by Voldemort).

**Jedi Master Albus- **Thank you!

**Spotted Cotton Candy- **I appreciate the sentiment!

**Martin.b- **Don't worry, being a git is too much of a habit for Snape to break in an hour, and not everyone wants them to be friends. Also, just because the new abilities are instinctual doesn't mean Harry is instantly a master, just that he has a basic, natural knowledge of how they work, as will be highlighted later. I really enjoy writing the Marauders bits, they're great comic relief. Remus and Sirius will have roles in the story, but more as Harry's father figures and as fighters than Marauders. Again, I plan to milk these plotlines for all they are worth, so have no fear. It doesn't even look like Harry will fight his first actual battle until after his birthday. I do enjoy your insightful review though, so keep 'em coming!


	5. Commitments

Birth of a Phoenix

Ch.5- Commitments

**A/N: Okay, so if you read the independent A/N posted earlier, ignore this and enjoy the chapter. If not, or if you need a reminder, in the closing A/N of Ch.4 I mentioned some ideas I had about Harry and Ginny's relationships, in a way that made them sound like definite things. The reaction I received was stronger than I expected, but your wonderful feedback had led me to change some things about the plotline of the story to make Harry and Ginny come together faster. Instead of the summer after Harry's fifth year, as I originally intended, it may be set in motion before Harry's fifth year even starts, and I expect them to bond under the wrath of Umbitch, leading to Harry/Ginny somewhere near the end after my version of the DoM Of course, don't expect star-crossed lovers, but now that Michael is gone, I will guarantee that Harry and Ginny will only be together, no one else. Are you appeased yet? Also, don't worry, I'm not just changing things willy-nilly, I am making changes in keeping with where I want the plot to go. But enough of that, its new chapter time!**

Harry let out a harsh breath as he hit the floor of the Great Hall. He had just flung himself out of the way of Remus' sword, which was currently arcing in a glittering dance towards Harry's various vital organs. Harry managed to roll aside and bring up his own blade to stop a swing that would have removed his head from his shoulders. Normally, dueling with Remus served to be only a moderate challenge – Harry's skills with a blade, not to mention everything else, had improved greatly in the three weeks he had been learning under the tutelage of his various instructors. After overcoming the inertia of 13 years of conditioning to never try his best, Harry had taken to the highly practical, fast-moving combat training like a fish to water – but unfortunately for Harry, the ever-sadistic Mad-Eye Moody had decided that just dueling Remus was 'too easy', so for today's exercise, Harry found himself engaged in a dangerous dance of blades with the werewolf while simultaneously dodging Stinging Hexes from the man's Auror cohorts. Harry let out a brief curse as one of the spells hit him in the arse. That was Tonks, undoubtedly; that woman could be downright cheeky when she felt like it, which was often. Harry artfully ducked the blade again and launched a different form of attack at Remus.

"So, Remmy, how are things with you and Nymphie? It's been quiet in the rooms lately, is the spark all gone, or have you just gotten better at your Silencing Charms?" Harry had been learning the, quote, artfully science and scientific art of the great and noble skill of taunting from Sirius, and he was, according to the Marauders, decent. Of course, he had gotten the better of Sirius more than once when he stopped to crow at the younger boy. It was a gap in his defenses that he was hastily correcting. Remus growled in response to Harry's jibe and lunged, but Harry dropped to his haunches and rolled Remus over his shoulder, right into the massively overcharged Stinging Hex from Tonks, which sent him sprawling, off-balance, into her. Harry briefly chuckled before springing forward to lay his blade against Moody's throat, using the Auror's body to shield himself from Kingsley. A hearty clap rose from the edge of the makeshift arena and Harry turned to see Dumbledore smiling with pride at his victory. Harry bowed slightly to his opponents and bounded over to the old wizard. Harry and Dumbledore's relationship had changed over the month that Harry had spent training at Hogwarts. Despite the fact that Dumbledore was unable to personally train him – which, it was obvious, frustrated them both to no end – the two had grown quite close, and they often shared tea together, talking about everything and nothing. Despite Harry's initial misgivings, Dumbledore had been nothing but transparent since Harry's semi-accidental intrusion into his mind. Recently, Dumbledore had been hinting that he had an early birthday surprise for Harry, and Harry was quite eager to discover what exactly it was.

"Hey Albus, what brings you down here so early?" It had taken the longest time for Harry to get used to calling the wizened wizard Albus, not Professor or Dumbledore.

"Oh, I just had to run some errands in the Alley, and I wondered if you would like to accompany me?" Dumbledore smiled warmly at Harry, who grinned back. Fawkes had descended from the rafters, where he often resided during Harry's training sessions and trilled his own agreement.

"Of course, Albus, I'd be delighted," Harry extended his arm, and Dumbledore took it, allowing the pair to be flamed away. Fawkes still handled most of their travel, especially after Harry ended up flaming into the Headmaster's office and rematerializing with his ankles firmly imbedded in the solid stone. For Harry, his Phoenix powers were like a bird learning to fly. The concept was already there, but putting it into practice was taking a little work.

* * *

Harry and Dumbledore reappeared in the Floo room of the Leaky Cauldron in a burst of flame and set off side by side at a brisk pace. The crowd easily parted around them, the combination of the fact they were the two most famous wizards in England and their considerable auras of power, they were treated with a reverential respect. The two ascended Gringotts' steps and entered the main hall. Dumbledore led Harry to a teller's booth.

"Hello, I would like to speak to the Account Manager to the Potter Vaults, is he in?" Dumbledore asked, and the goblin nodded firmly and hopped off his stool and headed back into the rear offices. As Harry and Dumbledore waited, their attention was drawn to two platinum blonds on the far side of the room. Lucius Malfoy was shouting some rather pathetic insults at a very bored looking goblin.

"What do you mean? You will relinquish control of the Black fortune to my son immediately, Sirius Black had been declared dead, and by such, his fortune and the title of Lord Black go to his closest male relative, which would be Draco!" He raged, but the goblin held up a long, spindly finger.

"In most cases, you would be correct, but Lord Black had a standing will, and after he was declared dead by the Ministry, it became active. In it, he passes the title of Lord Black to someone who is most definitely _not _your son, Lord Malfoy," the goblin seemed to spit the syllables of Lucius' name, and in two perfectly synchronized whirls of cloak, the two Malfoy men departed. By that time, the Account Manager Griphook had reappeared and after gaining the attention of Harry and Dumbledore, escorted them into a conference room which was already inhabited by another regal looking goblin. Harry and Dumbledore both bowed respectfully to the goblin, and he scowled. Of course, with goblins, a scowl served as a sign of respect to an equal, which was what the two wizards in front of him had always treated him and his kind as. As Harry had so eloquently stated once, earlier in the summer, "If it can outsmart me, and also hold a conversation with me, I consider it to be an equal, whether it's human or not," No, scowls were good, it was when goblins started smiling that you should get worried.

"Hello Mr. Dumbledore, Mr. Potter, how are you on this fine day?" The goblin said with a neat bow.

"We are quite well, thank you for asking Director Ragnok, and how are you?" Dumbledore spoke with an excess of formality, generally a safe bet when dealing with goblins.

"I am fine, what business are you conducting today that would require an audience with me?" Ragnok asked sharply.

"It is my wish that the title of Lord Potter be granted to Harry a few weeks early so that he may be prepared to assume the responsibilities of a lord on his fifteenth birthday, as is tradition for the last male heir of a family," Dumbledore stated and Harry was stunned. He was _Lord _Potter? He hadn't seen that coming, but of course, he could understood why no one had informed him, it wasn't like he could do anything with that knowledge, except maybe flaunt it to Malfoy.

"I see, well of course because of Mr. Potter's rather, prominent station on the hit list of a particular Lord Voldemort, I believe we can make an exception, quietly of course," Griphook nodded and removed a thick sheaf of papers and a metal bowl from a drawer, "Well Mr. Potter, all that is required is that you place a bit of blood in the bowl, and if you truly are Lord Potter, the ring shall appear and the vaults will give you access," He slid the bowl across to Harry, and Harry could tell the edges were razor sharp. Harry brushed his index finger across the rim and several red droplets welled out of the thin cut and dripped into the bowl. One bright flash of magic later and a pair of rings sat at the bottom of the bowl. One was silver with a large ruby while the other was ebony and inlaid with a dark blue sapphire. After a reassuring nod from his mentor, Harry picked the rings up and placed them on his right-hand ring finger. When they were both secure, they glowed and twisted together until Harry wore a single ring which was half one, half the other. The goblin nodded firmly again, "Excellent, Lord Potter-Black, I am most pleased to have your business, but if you have concluded your business, I am afraid I have a pressing prior engagement, please have a nice day," He rose and began to exit hastily.

"And you as well," Harry said to his retreating back. He and Dumbledore also rose and set off into the Alley.

"Albus, what did you mean by 'the responsibilities of a Lord' back there?" Harry asked as they descended the marble steps.

"Well, as the Lord of a House, or in your case, two Houses, you must manage the family's finances and investments, its contracts with other families, and you have become responsible for the protection of your family. Of course, as the last surviving member of both, technically, you don't have much to worry about on any of those fronts. Of course, the main reason was that to manage these responsibilities effectively, the Trace is removed from your wand and you are granted an Apparition and Portkey license sans application, both of which will be critical to our future efforts. It also keeps the Black fortune away from Malfoy. You also now have full access to your vaults – I believe you can use that ring like a Muggle credit card – if you need it, but your properties and Wizengamot seats will be withheld from you until your majority, as both are governed by Wizard Law, not Goblin," Dumbledore finished and Harry refrained from gaping openly.

"So I can do magic outside of school now?" Harry asked incredulously, and Dumbledore nodded. With a flick of his wand, Harry changed the color of his shoelaces and then waited anxiously for the Ministry owl. When none came, Harry's grin nearly split his face. Dumbledore smiled warmly at his protégé as they set off down the Alley again. They made a few stops to get food and some new robes - which Harry had a tendency to ruin quite quickly, and the ones he didn't ruin, he outgrew, having sprouted from 5'3" to 5'11" over the course of the summer – as well as more books and a few other trivial things. Except for one unfortunate run-in with a Prophet reporter outside Flourish & Blott's, the day had been pleasant and successful, which was good, because that night would be especially trying for the both of them.

* * *

They returned to Hogwarts late that afternoon and had a quick supper before once more going over the details of their plan. That night was the night that Albus planned to induct Harry publicly into the reformed Order of the Phoenix. Of course, Harry had already been present at the meetings before this point, but he was finally going to remove the Invisibility Cloak. It had taken Dumbledore a long time to convince Harry that one day he would be gone and Harry was going to need to take up his mantle and become the leader and figurehead of the Light, no matter what Harry felt about publicity. Harry had finally relented and come to terms with it, and since then, he and Dumbledore had achieved a new level of closeness. Dumbledore was still not allowed to teach him anything, but he had found yet another loophole. Harry simply accompanied him to all of his meetings and on all of his trips to the Ministry, observing what Dumbledore did and how and gaining a feel for the political climate. It wasn't his strong point, certainly, but he felt he was doing a passable job. Tonight, they would be testing the waters of the Order. They knew that those Harry had been training with would be fully supportive, as well as many who would be swayed simply by Dumbledore's word. The strongpoints of their anticipated resistance were Molly Weasley who was known for her fierce protectiveness, Amos Diggory who was Cedric's father and likely still hurting, and a few others who would disdain at Harry's age. They did, however, have an ace up their sleeve.

* * *

As night began to fall and the sky began to color, the kitchen of 12 Grimmauld Place filled with a wide variety of people from every walk of life. These members of the Order of the Phoenix were the first line of defense against the Darkness now, and their bimonthly meetings allowed them to update each other on their progress. Dumbledore sat at the head of the table, as was usual. It was unusual, however, to see Harry Potter sitting at his right side. As the members filed in, the duo observed them each carefully. The reactions varied anywhere from mild curiosity to outright indignance to whole-hearted support. Finally, once everyone was seated, Dumbledore called the meeting to order.

"Friends and comrades, welcome once again. Now before we get down to business, I would like to petition to induct a new member into our Order. I nominate Harry Potter for the Order of the Phoenix, so mote it be!" Dumbledore's words invoked the magical ritual that was the induction ceremony. There would now be a period for objections and rebuttals, which was well utilized.

"Albus, you can't, he's only a boy! He's too young!" She shouted furiously, sending Harry a look that could make any of her children cower, but he seemed unaffected. In truth, he was just getting good at bluffing.

"So you say, but he has faced Voldemort in single combat more times than anyone else alive. He is both very powerful and has an intimate knowledge of how our foe thinks," This was true, while whatever part of Voldemort had been in Harry was gone, it had left a good deal behind, including his Parseltongue, his Animagus transformation, and an echo of his personality which, once its parasitic presence was gone, had proven quite useful. It wasn't the definitive Voldemort playbook, and it wasn't Divination, but it was… enlightening to have a taste of what his enemy desired and what he feared, "These two things alone are enough for me, seeing as he has done more for the war effort than anyone without us, and I can see our cooperation can only be beneficial, but I understand that not everyone believes that is enough, so I will tell you this; Harry Potter has a role to play in this war, one he will perform with or without us, and it is not something we can stop," Dumbledore headed Molly off as she opened her mouth, his rousing support of Harry obviously had an effect, and the assembled people suddenly looked significantly less hostile. This didn't stop Severus Snape from taking to his feet, however. Harry took a deep breath. Snape was a wildcard, seeming to struggle on a daily basis how with how he felt about Harry Potter, often going back and forth. They could only hope this was a good day.

"I, personally, think that Potter is an insufferable brat with an ego the size of the Sun," Nope, not a good day, "and a hero complex worse than his father's that gives him no place in this Order. Unfortunately for me, however, he takes after his father in more than just that. He shows a remarkable amount of both power and skill with the little amount of training he has managed to do while not being stupid or grievously injured, and I think that it may be for the best if we point the wanton destruction that he tends to cause at something that is not my Potions classroom," Snape finished his tirade, but his voice lacked its typical venom and he wasn't wearing his trademark sneer. That's when it all clicked in Harry's head; Professor Snape had been making a joke, a _joke _for Merlin's sake, and even a kind of funny one too. It was a regular mid-July miracle! After a testimony in favor from Severus Snape, the bastard extraordinaire, no one else could even try to come up with a good counter-argument and the matter was rapidly settled. The traditional oath of the Order of the Phoenix was what made it so brilliant. The oath was sworn to Fawkes, an incorruptible Light being. It was his judgment that was the final word. Unfortunately he could only tell what a person was, morally, not what they were going to be. Even he had been shocked by Pettigrew's betrayal. When the period of debate was over, Fawkes appeared in his normal ball of fire and settled in front of Harry.

"_So, it's time for us to contribute to your God Complex, huh brother?_" Harry mentally jabbed at his bond-mate. They called each other 'brother' full time now and Harry still didn't understand the honor he was being given.

"_Oh shut it, you, I am the consummate symbol of the Light, and, you know, stuff like that_...," Fawkes cocked his head at him haughtily and Harry had to stifle a laugh, figuring it would be frowned upon if he descended into hysterics in the middle of a very important ceremony. Slowly and solemnly, Harry recited his oath to his avian companion and the flash of magical energy signified that it was complete and accepted. Harry rose graciously to the polite applause and finally Dumbledore began the meeting for real.

* * *

Almost two hours later, Harry and the rest of the Hogwarts contingent hauled their way back through the Floo. Harry had been impressed by just how little had actually been achieved at the meeting. He now knew that Voldemort was laying low and planning something, but nobody knew what or why, and was probably recruiting, but nobody really knew who or where. Snape single-handedly provided an easy ninety percent of the actual, useful, non-speculative information, informing them all of several names of Death Eaters and re-confirming that Voldemort's numbers one and two on his hit-list remained Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore in that order. Harry was thoroughly unsurprised by this, even if several of the people who shot glances at him seemed to expect him to panic. Another observation was that the average age of the Order of the Phoenix was way too old, and its atmosphere came across as some kind of ladies' gossip circle about Dark Magic, not the premier Anti-Dark Magic secret society. The best part of the evening had been when Fawkes had calmly placed himself on Harry's shoulder after he had taken his oath and had remained there for the remainder of the meeting. Harry was pretty sure everyone had noticed, but no one who didn't already know said anything. Mrs. Weasley had tried to convince him to rethink his decision again, and when that failed had tried to get him to come stay at the Burrow. Harry had promised to be at the Burrow for his birthday and then took his leave. Now, he was exhausted and frustrated and he needed sleep, so he stuck his arm out and Fawkes obliged him, flaming him straight into his bedroom. Harry bid him goodnight and slumped down in bed, hoping for a restful night's sleep.

Unfortunately for Harry, his brain had other plans. As a sort of 'Welcome to the Order' present, it had decided to provide him with a front row seat to his own personal horror show, all of his nightmares presented in twisted clarity for Harry's viewing torture. They began in an all too familiar flash of green light and a high pitched cackle and rapidly turned into the highlights of his ten years with the Dursleys. Belts, knives, fists, bats, and other implements all danced in Harry's mind's eye. Soon enough they gave way to the terrors of Harry's first year and the eventual death of Quirrell, then the heart-wrenching events of his second year and the Chamber. His third year was shadowed by Dementors and Time-Turners and his fourth year was a painful build-up to a graveyard climax and Cedric's dead body. But all of these paled next to what came next; the feverish snippets of Grindlewald's memories of the war that Harry had been subjected to. They were supposed to teach him how to handle himself in battle – and, intellectually, Harry knew he was learning what they had to teach – but they also contained the atrocities of warfare. Harry saw a menagerie of brutal rapes, tortures, and murders in many horrific manners. Interspersed into the memories were recollections of the searing pain of the Crutacious Curse, Grindlewald's favorite teaching tool. One misstep and Harry found himself subjected to it. It was only ever for no more than a second, not even long enough to give him the shakes, but the pain _was _an excellent teacher, and he was starting to build a resistance to it. In his night terrors though, it was a hundred times worse. When his brain ran out of the past, it started on the future. Visions of the brutal slaughter of everyone he cared about; Sirius, Remus, Tonks, Dumbledore, Ron and Hermione, and many others all wiped away in a flash of green light. Finally, as his dream sequence came to an end, the worst part came, a part where not even Fawkes' soothing presence could stop the shaking and the screaming. It was not a set of visions Harry understood, but he still screamed and fought as he watched Ginny subjected to the horrors of Grindlewald's memories. The torture, the rapes, and the murders all played again in enhanced, graphic detail and the victim was always the stunning, vivacious young red-headed witch that inspired such strange feelings in Harry's chest. The pain of these particular dreams was the worst he had ever felt, worse than any Crutacious. It was a hopeless, desperate pain that seemed to well up in his ribcage and try to burst forth, only to be restrained by an impenetrable barrier, forced to watch the inevitable, knowing he had failed to stop it.

* * *

Harry sat bolt upright, fighting the tangle of his sheets, and quelled the scream in his throat. He looked up to see light streaming in his window and Fawkes fluttered down to his shoulder and nuzzled him comfortingly. He sat there for a few minutes trying to slow the racing of his heart, but the anxiety still clung to his brain. Finally, he could take it no longer and he stood, grabbing his wand. Fawkes gave him a curious look, but Harry's pleading eyes convinced him. In a ball of fire, they departed.

They arrived on the edge of the Weasley's property and Harry's eyes immediately scanned the skies above the orchard where, sure enough, he saw a petite form streaking around the pitch, Quaffle under her arm. Harry sighed a deep sigh of relief and his heart swelled as he watched her skillfully place the ball through a hoop. Only partially thinking, Harry disillusioned himself and scrambled up a tree near the edge of the clearing where they played. He settled in and lost himself in the smile on Ginny's windswept face. When Ginny finally left the pitch, Harry checked his watch and realized he'd spent the better part of the day watching her, hidden in the trees. He felt mildly creepy when he had Fawkes return him to the castle.

* * *

McGonagall had been less than pleased that Harry had chosen to skive off of training and drove him extra hard that afternoon. They had been focusing on Animating in a dueling situation, and Harry was currently flinging hexes at conjured targets while simultaneously puppeteering suit of armor as it clanged its sword against its opponent, controlled by the Professor. His Occlumency techniques - which, according to Snape, were passable – were surprisingly useful for concentrating on two things at once. His memory was also improved and he was now a fabulous poker player as well. At least these days he and Snape were both leaving with headaches. He quickly settled into his dueling routine and focused on his task. For the first time in his life, he felt prepared for the coming storm. He didn't know how wrong he was.

**A/N: Okay, another chapter done with some important but thoroughly boring stuff in it, and an insight into Harry's training with Grindlewald and the others. Yes, Grindlewald is extreme and, yes, it is screwing with Harry's head, but you have to remember that Grindlewald **_**was **_**a Dark Wizard. Also, I promise that despite Harry's nightmares there will be no sexual assault in this story, especially not Ginny. Ok, so the next few chapters will see a look at Harry's progress in training, his birthday, and the introduction of everyone's favorite toad-woman. Please leave and comments, criticisms, and/or suggestions in a review below and, as usual, I own nothing. Thank you for your enthusiastic response to each new chapter, and especially for all the reviews! Also, those who are now worried that Harry and Ginny are just going to jump into bed, there is a difference in my head between relationship (which doesn't imply romantic, or at least realized romantic, feelings), dating, and intimate. Thanks again, see you soon!**


	6. The First Trial

Birth of a Phoenix

Ch. 6- The First Trial

**A/N: For those of you who wanted action, you got it in this chapter. If you wanted romance, you can have that too (sort of). Perchance you wanted to know 'What's up with Dumbledore?' well that's in this chapter too! Anyways, please read and leave a review, you know that I appreciate it, and thanks for all the support and praise and whatnot!**

Harry found himself, for what felt like the thousandth time that day, laying on his back staring at the ceiling, waiting for someone to release the full body-bind. He had thought he was doing well, he had been regularly besting his teachers only a few days ago, but then it was like they had flipped a collective switch, and now he was overwhelmed again. Numerous times he had almost gained the upper hand before his opponent would suddenly begin to move faster, and he would be forced on the defensive before being beaten. He felt his body relax and stared up into Moody's electric blue eye as he was hauled to his feet.

"That's probably enough for today, kid, you've still got a ways to go, but you're getting there," He clapped Harry on the back and Harry limped out the door. He had some free time now because Transfiguration had been shortened once Harry had reached proficiency with Animagus meditation and no longer required supervision while he tried to reach his forms, and he planned on using the time to get on a broom for the first time all summer. He grabbed his Firebolt and stepped out onto the pitch. It was a gorgeous day, with the sun shining and a gentle breeze keeping the summer heat from being stifling. He grinned as a joyous cry sounded over the grounds from where Fawkes and Hedwig drifted on a thermal, gliding high above the pitch. Harry kicked up and soared after them, chasing his familiars around the pitch, laughing and carefree. He did not see Albus Dumbledore gazing at him from his office window with a melancholy smile on his face. He had deliberately not shown Harry the papers that summer. He wasn't withholding them, and he told Harry what they were saying, but he figured that Harry didn't need to see firsthand the huge, front-page articles where he was a called a senile old man and Harry was painted to be a delusional, attention-seeking, pathological liar fame-whore by Rita Skeeter, who, if the old Headmaster could recall correctly, had been exactly that during her own time at school. Fudge had decided that there was no way Voldemort could be back, probably because he had been the Minister who had been so eager to declare him dead in the first place, and was taking every step possible to discredit Dumbledore and Harry. Even now he was readying some political meddling which would no doubt be directed at disabling Dumbledore's most 'dangerous resource', which was Hogwarts. Dumbledore was worried about the education of his students first and foremost.

* * *

The days till Harry's birthday counted down, and despite the fact that he was having the best summer of his life, Harry was still growing excited to see his friends, even if it was only for a day. It was also the first time in his life that he was actually looking forward to his birthday. In the meantime, Harry continued to work, with the focus of his training shifting into dueling and combat and out of things like Potions and History. He was also continuing to learn Occlumency and was now applying it to a combat situation. He and Snape would duel and Snape would randomly attack his mind trying to either predict his next move or throw him off-balance. Harry was also beginning to learn how to respond in kind, but the moment of total concentration it required for him was enough to outweigh any advantages. He also continued to train with Grindlewald, who still struck out at any holes in his defense with the Crutacious. It sucked and it was illegal, but Harry had to admit that it was a fantastic motivator. The style of dueling Harry was learning was not a popular one. Most Pure-bloods, the only ones eligible to compete on the most prestigious of the International Dueling Circuits, used a wide variety of complex and volatile semi-Dark curses that had many different effects that could cause death and dismemberment. They were designed to circumvent some shields and keep their opponent guessing and were considered "powerful" spells because of their high baseline power expenditures. Harry, on the other hand, fought with a handful of "basic" curses: Piercing Curses, Cutting Curses, Severing Charms, Reductor Curses, Exploder Curse, Fire-Making Spells, Fireball Curses, Bombarding Hexes, Bludgeoning Hexes, Tripping Jinxes, Impediment Jinxes, Ice Charms, Water Charms, Thunderbolt Curse, Wind Charms, various Shield Charms, Blinding Hexes, and even the occasional Binding Spell modified to throw razor wire. He took these spells, which many Pure-bloods considered "weak" and pushed the same amount of power through them that one would through a Dark Curse. The result was impressive, to say the least. He could fling out short, simple curses all capable of the same level of death and dismemberment, but with way less effort. Of course, he had some devastating stuff in his arsenal as well, but he saved it for the really dangerous stuff. He also learned to run, dodge, dive, jump, and roll to avoid curses, something that was simply not done by the Pure-blooded Death Eaters. All in all, the ruthless and effective style impressed on him by Grindlewald and Moody was what would give him the upper hand in duels with better trained, more experienced, and more sadistic opponents. Harry believed now, for the first time since he'd been at Hogwarts that he was prepared for whatever came next. So it was with a light heart and a happy smile that he set off for the Weasleys' on July 30th.

* * *

Harry arrived at the Burrow after lunch with an overnight bag slung over his shoulder and set off down the lane from where Fawkes had dropped him off. As he came into view of the lopsided home, two red-heads and a brunette burst forth from the front door. Ginny reached him first and he wrapped her in his arms, squeezing her tightly and holding on for perhaps a moment too long. Next, Hermione tried to crush his ribs and Ron shook his hand firmly. Then they took a moment to step back and look at him. Having not seen him since the end of term, Ron and Hermione were shocked at the changes, and Ginny was also, having not really gotten a good look at him when he was comforting her about Michael. He was now much taller, having sprung up to almost six foot, and had filled out through months of hard work and good food. Un-obscured by glasses, his emerald eyes sparkled with more happiness than ever and his once-shaggy black hair had been neatly trimmed and he had given up on taming it, instead directing it into stylishly messy look. But the biggest change was in the very aura he exuded, which before had seemed to represent almost a weight on his shoulders, like he never fully smiled; now, however, it radiated a sort of humble confidence and a little bit of mischief. It was, in total, a very positive change.

"So, how is everyone?" Harry asked with a bit of a smirk as he watched his dumbstruck friends. He threw a casual arm over Ginny and Hermione's shoulders and guided them inside with Ron trailing behind.

"Oh! Uhm, we're good, we're really good, so how've you been?" Hermione finally managed to get out.

"Oh, I've been pretty good; the Dursleys have left me alone this summer, so I've been doing my own thing. It's been nice," Harry managed to shoot off a conspiratorial wink to Ginny as he spoke. When they entered the kitchen, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley seemed equally taken aback by Harry's dramatic change, and even Fred and George took note. Immediately, Ron decided that it was time to play Quidditch and he, Harry, Ginny, Fred and George took to the pitch. Hermione elected to watch. They played half-field with Ron as Keeper and Ginny and Harry playing against Fred and George, Ginny and Harry proved to be capable of a subconscious cohesion even more impressive than the Twins' legendary synchronization. As the sky began to turn pink, they were called in for dinner by Mrs. Weasley and Harry was surprised to see that all of the Weasley brothers were there to celebrate with him. Dinner was a noisy affair with the Twins causing chaos, Bill and Charlie telling stories about their respective careers, and Ron and Ginny – and that day, Harry and Hermione – going over their adventures at Hogwarts, of which, Harry realized, there were many. After dinner, Harry made sure to get the Weasley twins alone for a moment, which was usually a monumentally bad decision.

"Hello gentlemen," Harry slid into their room, his wand prepared on its wrist holster just in case, "I have a business proposal for you," He gave them his best salesman's smile, the one his Uncle used on clients.

"Yes, we're listening," They said in sync, without looking up.

"You see, I've heard tell about this joke shop you two devils have come up with," Harry raised an eyebrow at them.

"Jokes? Us? I'm afraid you must be mistaken," One of the twins – Fred maybe – said, trying to keep a straight face.

"And a few friends of mine have given me this, to give to you," Harry removed a small wooden box from his rucksack and set it on the table in front of the twins. Engraved in the top was an elaborate script 'M' and no apparent way to open it.

"Wait, Harry, what is this? How do we open it?" One twin shouted at him as he left.

"You'll manage," Was all Harry said over his shoulder in response. It had been his idea to give his Tri-Wizard winnings to the twins, but Mooney and Padfoot had insisted to match his investment, but had insisted that it come in the form of a prank, so now 3,000 Galleons were sitting in a box in the Twins' room, waiting for them to figure out the trademark words. It took them about 30 minutes before they ambushed Harry and dragged him into their room again.

"You know the Marauders?" They wasted no time with formalities.

"You do too, boys," Harry grinned, "All three of them,"

"Who are they, tell us, tell us, tell us," The Twins were doing their best puppy dog eyes and Harry grinned.

"Well Padfoot, he was this guy named Sirius Black," Harry smirked, he was enjoying this all too much.

"What! No way!"

"Yep, and Mooney, well you know him as Remus Lupin,"

"Are you serious? He was a Professor!"

"No, Padfoot is Sirius, and I thought you were smarter than you looked," Harry chuckled and the Twin's jaws dropped, "And Prongs, well he was this guy named James Potter, maybe you've heard of him?" Harry would look back on that day and laugh for a long time. The pure hilarity of the Twin's dumbstruck expressions were priceless as he spun on a heel and exited the room. The rest of the evening was as uneventful as an evening with the Weasleys could be and that night Harry couldn't sleep, but not for the reasons he was accustomed to. He was, for the first time in his short life, excited about his birthday.

The next morning, Mrs. Weasley served a huge breakfast which consisted of all of Harry's favorites and then, after the dishes were washed, promptly vanished into the kitchen to prepare Harry's extra-special birthday dinner. Harry had never seen the Burrow so full of happiness and joy.

"You know, everyone at the Burrow loves birthdays," Ron had told Harry as they descended the stairs that morning, "It's a reprieve from chores and, usually, we all get to have fun with the presents, no matter who gets them," And it was true, no chores had been doled out and they had been let loose until dinner. Harry quickly found himself engaged in a game of Exploding Snap with Ron, Charlie, and Hermione which never seemed to end, while the Twins, who had been disturbingly respectful that morning, had returned to their bedroom/lair. Bill and Mr. Weasley were going over some project in the shed and Ginny was out flying. Percy had not made an appearance that morning, having gone in to work early.

At that particular moment, as Harry watched Ginny fly in lazy circles, tossing a Quaffle to herself and Ron shouted to get his attention, several things happened at once: Bill, a look of sheer panic on his face, had exploded through the back door from the shed just as a bolt of green light streaked from the trees towards Ginny and a line of black-robed figures advanced from the tree line, maybe fifteen strong.

"The wards have fallen!" Bill shouted, his voice quavering, "Everyone get behind something and seal the house!" He began to herd his siblings towards the dining room, but Harry was already on his feet and running towards the door. The green light slammed into the tail of Ginny's broom and it twisted violently in the air, tossing Ginny off. In slow motion she fell, crashing into the earth with a sickening crack. One of the approaching Death Eaters raised his wand to incant those vile words again, his lips forming the first syllables, but Harry could hear nothing but his pulse in his ears, pounding in time with his footsteps as he ran towards Ginny. His wand rose of its own accord, and the Cutting Curse that poured forth from its tip possessed such power that the silver light seemed to be a solid blade. Harry's target saw the threat and tried to react, to change mid-spell and save himself, but his flimsy shield was torn asunder and his body was ripped into two jagged halves. Harry continued to throw spells as he came to make a stand over Ginny's still form. All of his training was wiped away in the flood of adrenaline and rage. A form attacked Harry from the front, and Harry sent an _Expulso_ at its feet, not stopping to watch as it dissolved from the waist down. The Weasleys had tried to follow, but had been pinned down in the garden. Compared to the rest of the field, the Stunners and Body-Binds they were using seemed to be child's play. It was Bill, Harry thought, who was first to break when he sent some ancient Egyptian curse at his opponent that made him clutch his head, scream, and fall over. A curse bit into Harry's side and his concentration was once again focused on his enemies. This particular Death Eater brought up a shield, which Harry hammered with Reductor after rage-fueled Reductor. In a moment of sanity, he summoned Fawkes to carry the Weasleys away. Two at a time the Phoenix grabbed them, starting with Ron and Hermione who were beginning to show strain. Next went the Twins who lacked practical curse knowledge, and after them Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, followed finally by Bill and Charlie. Then it was only Harry on the field, standing over the body of the girl he didn't know he loved, covered in cuts and burns. He poured fire into the next group of enemies, engulfing them in a white hot jet. Fawkes sunk his talons into another one's shoulder and disappeared, only to reappear 200 feet up in the air and release him. Harry had cut the Death Eaters down to four when Fawkes grabbed Ginny and pulled her away in a ball of flame, but he was beginning to show signs of exhaustion and the toughest enemy had yet to be beat. Steady, rhythmic thumps began to echo louder from the trees and a disgusting creature broke through into the clearing. A Mountain Troll, and an especially large one at that, stood opposite Harry with undisguised bloodlust in his eyes. Harry snarled and snapped his wand in a small circle, sending a ball of flame crashing into two of the remainder. One went down hard, the other was only slowed, but it was enough to expose him to Harry's next Piercing Curse, which punched a fist-sized hole in his chest. Harry shielded a volley of purple curses and unleashed a Bombarding Curse into their caster, using the huge purple spell's arched trajectory to place it around his shield. The explosion also hurled his compatriot into the path of the Troll's club, leaving him bent in half. Harry was sagging, his hands on his knees as he panted for breath. He knew that if he didn't stop it, the Troll would ransack the Burrow, and the Weasleys would never be able to afford to repair it. Taking a deep breath, Harry summoned up the last of his magical reserves and poured them into the most powerful Reductor he had ever cast. The buck of the wand as the spell left its tip knocked Harry back and the maroon spell smashed into the Troll's face, snapping its head back at a ridiculous angle and knocking the beast off its feet. Harry stumbled as it hit the ground and barely registered as Fawkes pulled him away.

* * *

Harry reappeared in the Hogwarts Hospital Wing with spots forming in his vision and his limbs growing heavy. He stood, swaying on unsteady feet as Madam Pomfrey and Mrs. Weasley set in in him, equal looks of worry on their faces. He looked over to the Twins, who, like the rest of their family, were incredibly pale, and cracked a small smile.

"Do ya' want to keep the Troll as a lawn ornament? " Harry's voice was thick and distant and when he finished speaking his eyes rolled back in his head and he slumped into the women's arms, unconscious.

* * *

When Harry awoke from his comatose state, the windows of the Hospital Wing had been opened to allow in the bright morning sunshine. Harry glared at the weather which seemed to be mocking the aches and pains he felt. His head was pounding like a drum, his limbs felt like lead, and every single inch of skin seemed to throb with cuts and bruises. He only barely managed to sit up, trying to force his addled brain to conjure up the specifics of the battle, but he could only get snippets of lights and explosions and pain. He looked over to his bedside table, which held a stack of envelopes which seemed to be "Get Well Soon" cards from the Weasleys and the Hogwarts residents, except for one letter, a large, black envelope on the top of the stack that seemed to radiate evil. Harry picked it up and flipped it over and his heart almost stopped. The seal, in green wax, was the image of a snake slithering through a skull's mouth. Harry opened it and a leaf of folded black parchment fell out. Harry opened it to reveal a single line of silver ink and another small package. It simply read: _Happy Birthday, Harry Potter_. Harry's heart was in his throat as he opened the package. In it was a familiar clock hand, and an arbitrary memory bubbled up in Harry's brain.

"That's the Weasley Family Clock, it's got the whole family on it and it shows me where everyone is and whether they're okay or not," Mrs. Weasley was telling a twelve-year old Harry over an early breakfast. The kitchen was empty save for the two of them.

"How does it do that?" Harry asked in curiosity.

"Well if they're in trouble, their hand goes to Mortal Peril, and the only way for a hand to come off the clock is if that person dies or is stricken from the family," The rest of the conversation drifted away as Harry turned over the clock hand in his palm. The words "Ginny Weasley" seemed to glare up at him like an accusation. He hadn't been good enough to save her this time. An unimaginable pain, one worse than any Harry had ever felt before by exponential amounts, welled up in his heart and he began to panic. Hyperventilating, he turned to the Hospital Wing's beds. Only one other had its curtains drawn and Harry stumbled across the ward as fast as he could, knocking over a table in the process. Madam Pomfrey emerged from her office at the noise and saw one of her patients scrambling across the room.

"Mr. Potter, stop, you'll hurt yourself even worse!" She shouted to him, but he ignored her and he tore away the bed's curtains to reveal Ginny's unnaturally still, pale body. As flashbacks from the Chamber flooded his head, Harry grabbed at her wrist desperately, searching. Finally he found it, the slow, steady beat of her pulse and Pomfrey just managed to conjure a chair underneath him as he collapsed, relief washing through his body. He slumped down into and his head fell forward to rest on Ginny's stomach, taking comfort from the rise and fall of her breathing and the thumping of her pulse where her hand was clasped between both of his. Poppy Pomfrey knew that Harry needed to rest to rebuild his magical strength, but even on potions he had tossed and turned, and moaned in his slumber. Now, however, as he slept sitting by the young Miss Weasley's side, he seemed almost content.

* * *

It was three days before Madam Pomfrey deemed it allowable for visitors to see her patients. Since Harry's miniature panic attack, neither of them had moved from their positions and neither had woken even once. Both of them also seemed to be recovering abnormally fast, but she chalked it up to the Fawkes, who hadn't left his bond-mate's side, maintaining a constant vigil. She opened the doors to the Hospital Wing and tried to announce that she would allow two visitors at a time, but the Weasleys, Sirius Black, and Hermione all instantly forced their way inside, all rushing straight to the bed where Ginny was. If Madam Pomfrey had to admit it, it hadn't looked good when the Phoenix had appeared with her broken body. She had had several broken bones, massive internal bleeding, some punctured organs, and spinal damage and her chances had been low, but she pulled through. Mrs. Weasley threw back the curtains to see her only daughter and almost screamed in surprise when she saw Harry's head resting on her stomach and her hand tangled in his hair. She prepared to fly into a rant about proper behavior when her eyes fell on the black letter lying on the bed. Reading its contents and seeing the clock hand, the Transfiguration on which was just starting to fade, was enough to calm her. It was simply reassurance for Harry; there was nothing romantic about it, which was good, because the amount of trouble Harry got into was not at all something her daughter would be involved in, and the war was totally out of the question. Then there was the matter that Harry had killed people, and she would not allow her daughter to be with a killer, especially if it meant that her precious Ginny had to become a killer herself. The very thought sickened her. If anyone else had any problems with the scene, they did a much better job hiding it. They all stood there for a few minutes longer, just watching the pair sleep and reassuring themselves that they were all alive. Then Madam Pomfrey shooed them all out of her Hospital Wing and re-sealed the door.

* * *

Late in the night, Ginny awoke for the first time since her fall. Her aches were surprisingly few and the pleasant warmth on her chest made her feel safe. She cracked her eyes open and saw the mess of black hair there and her heart soared. She shifted and he snapped awake, immediately going for his wand, but her hand on his shoulder calmed him and he smiled a small smile at her and went to lay his head back on her stomach, but she stopped him.

"Harry," her voice creaked from lack of use, "That can't be comfortable," Harry looked down and tried to hide the flush in his cheeks.

"Well, no, not really," His voice was equally rusty. Ginny didn't know if it was the near-death experience, the potions, or the fact he looked so damn handsome even in a hospital gown and covered in bruises, but she grabbed his hand and pulled him to lay next to her.

"There's plenty of room on the bed, okay? I don't mind," Harry's blush deepened tremendously, but he complied. He tried to turn over to face away from her, but she grabbed him around the abdomen and pulled him close, burrowing her head into his chest. Slowly, his arms encircled her shoulders and he relaxed. They lay there for a few moments, with Ginny occasionally squirming, trying to get closer to Harry's warmth, before they drifted away into sleep.

* * *

In his office, Dumbledore was pacing worriedly. He had done his very best to try to prepare the Wizarding World for the coming war, but you could not help those who didn't want to be helped. In his hands, he held orders for the selection of the new DADA teacher. He had feared it would come to this, and he could only be thankful that he had managed to squelch the laws allowing a High Inquisitor to be placed at Hogwarts. In doing so, he had overreached himself just enough to give Fudge an opening to get him removed as the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, but he didn't care about that unless they decided to remove him from the Chocolate Frog cards. In reality, it gave him time for more important things anyways. He looked down at the pair of conjured scissors in his hand for a moment before bringing them up to the back of his neck. With a few sharp snips, Dumbledore's legendarily long hair fell to the floor in a rope. This also broke the Whitening Charm on it and it returned to its natural soft grey. Next went the beard, cut off at the top of his sternum and knotted once. The last few generations had grown accustomed to seeing Dumbledore, benevolent if slightly barmy Headmaster, but now as he looked in the mirror, Albus saw Dumbledore, the brilliant sorcerer and fierce warrior who had led the Allied Wizards against Grindlewald and Hitler in the Second World War. Of course, he had a few more wrinkles, and he'd gained a few pounds, but that could be rectified. With one last glance, he turned to his desk and opened a locked drawer. Inside was a thick folder full of papers written in neat, if slightly effeminate, handwriting. Each had on the top the same name: Tom M. Riddle. Dumbledore sat and began to read. He had learned long ago that no matter how hard you tried, no one can truly escape their past. So the night passed, and as Albus Dumbledore tried to delve into the depths of Tom Riddle's mind, Harry Potter was, for the first time, wholly successful at staying out of it.

**A/N: Alright, a battle, some (almost) romance, and Dumbledore beginning to become the warrior again. So in this battle I tried to show that while Harry has the power and some of the skill, he just doesn't have the control or the instinct for fighting yet. While it didn't really matter that much against some Death Eater recruits or a dumb, slow Troll, it would cripple him against one of the Inner Circle. Also, Harry is now a killer. Even worse, the Weasleys know. Coming up we have Umbitch, more training, Animagus, and other fun stuff. Please leave a review of any kind: comment, criticism, suggestion, recommendation, compliment, etc. It's all good. Also, I own nothing, and thank you all for reading!**


	7. Vessel for a Shattered Soul

Birth of a Phoenix

Ch.7- Vessel for a Shattered Soul

**A/N: Okay, Chapter 7 is a big(-ish) chapter, and some important stuff happens. I know this chapter took a while, and I'm sorry, but writer's block does that to you. I'm back on track now though, so without further ado, Chapter 7…**

Harry slowly blinked awake, feeling more alive and energized than he had ever felt, especially given the recent battle he had fought in. He unconsciously squeezed the warmth in his arms closer to him and something in his chest purred in delight when Ginny squirmed closer into him. She yawned deeply, and her gorgeous brown eyes gazed up at him.

With her fiery hair all disheveled from sleep, she looked absolutely adorable. Not that Harry would ever allow himself to act on those thoughts. He stared at her pensively for a moment before he was interrupted by a pointed cough. Instantly, he and Ginny were apart and on opposite sides of the bed, trying to look innocent as the Twins stood by their bed, grinning evilly.

"Well, well, well…," One began.

"Would you looky here…," The other continued.

"Two little lovebirds…," Harry and Ginny blushed deeply and the Twins cackled.

"Just be glad…,"

"It wasn't Mum that caught you…,"

"Just little old us…,"

"But you never know when little old us…,"

"Might need something in exchange…,"

"For keeping this all hush-hush," They finished together, and Ginny moved back and buried her face in Harry's chest, knowing she would never live this down. Harry, however, came to her rescue.

"Let's just all remember who you'd be starting this with if you didn't choose to… forget… that this ever happened," Harry smirked and the Twins paled.

"Of course sir, Yes sir, sorry sir," They sketched short bows and beat a hasty retreat. Ginny looked up at Harry in shock.

"How did you do that?"

"I just know how to speak their language, that's all," Harry said, still smirking. Ginny shrugged and wedged herself back into Harry's arms and promptly fell back asleep. Harry's mind, however, was now elsewhere.

He lay there staring at the girl in his arms and remembered what her body had looked like, beaten and broken. Then, unbidden, 14 other bodies joined hers, all dead by Harry's wand. He was a murderer.

He quietly slipped away from Ginny's warm body, dressed, and left the Hospital Wing in a rush, heading anywhere but there. Fawkes leapt from his perch on the curtain-rod and followed him.

"_Harry! Harry, wait! What's the matter with you? You've got the girl of your dreams asleep in your arms and you just up and leave?_" Fawkes' voice cut into Harry's consciousness.

"_I'm a murderer, Fawkes, I killed fourteen people. Fourteen lives, all snuffed out,_" Harry hung his head miserably and slumped against a wall, "_Even if she did feel that way, she deserves better than a murderer,_" Fawkes fluttered down and alighted on his shoulder.

"_Harry, those men, they were all marked Death Eaters, all fifteen of them. You know what a Death Eater must do to receive the Mark, right?_" Harry had indeed heard the stories of horrible atrocities committed by Death Eater initiates,

"_And you know what they were there to do? They wanted to rape Ginny and Hermione, probably Mrs. Weasley too. Then they wanted to torture them all before they killed them, burned the Burrow and sent up his Mark." _

"_Once they'd finished, then it would be time for them to move onto the next family, rinse, repeat. Now they can't, because they're dead. Those men sold their souls when they decided they wanted that Mark, you're just collecting what's due,_" Fawkes trilled a few reassuring notes and Harry had perked up a little. He picked himself up and stroked Fawkes plumage for a moment.

"_Thank you, Fawkes, you always know what to say,_" Harry gave his companion a small smile, trying to mask the pain in his heart.

"_Glad you're feeling better, because you're late for a date with Grindlewald,_" Fawkes chuckled and Harry grabbed his tail. In a ball of flame, they reappeared in the stone prison that held Harry's tutor, who was standing in wait.

* * *

"So I hear you've finally fought your first battle, and you managed to incapacitate yourself for almost a week. Not the most impressive showing, even if your enemies fared much worse," Grindlewald looked at his pupil for a moment, his eyes cold and calculating,

"Place your memory into the Pensieve, let's see what exactly you did wrong," He led Harry to the stone bowl and drew out the silver strand of memory.

* * *

Ginny awoke again and tried to find Harry's warmth in the sheets, burrowing down into the last of Harry's heat in the mattress. He was gone, she realized. She sat up and looked around, not seeing him anywhere.

He had left without a word, but she knew she had been foolish to expect more from Harry Potter, who would never see her, even when she slept in his arms. Unwelcome tears began to rise in her eyes as she remembered how wonderful it had felt to wake up encircled by his arms and to look up and see those emerald eyes. At least, she decided, she had been allowed to experience it once in her life.

She flopped onto her back and tried to force back the tears, but she could not. So that was how Madam Pomfrey found her twenty minutes later, quietly crying over Harry bloody Potter.

To Madam Pomfrey, the source of her pain was easy to diagnose for someone with her years of experience, even if the cause was not strictly medical. Lovesickness was a common enough ailment at Hogwarts.

"Don't cry dear, he didn't mean anything by it. That day was rough for him and he hasn't had time to process it all yet. I imagine he's falling back into his training routine as a coping mechanism," She patted Ginny's shoulder comfortingly, but Ginny just scoffed through her tears.

"_He _had a rough day? He didn't almost die! He can't go saying he had a rough go of it!" She felt her temper beginning to boil.

"Almost die, no, he didn't. He did kill though. Fourteen Death Eaters and a Mountain Troll," Madam Pomfrey tried to state it as matter-of-factly as she could, but still stuttered a little bit. Ginny's rising anger hit a wall and deflated.

"Oh," Was all she could say, "Why? Why did he have to kill people?" What could drive Harry to commit such an act? She had always seen him as the irreproachable pinnacle of 'right', everything he did was the right thing to do.

"You don't remember anything that happened, do you?" Poppy asked her, she shook her head 'no', "Well, somehow a group of fifteen Death Eaters breached the Burrow's wards while you were out flying. Bill noticed and tried to get everyone inside and seal the house, but Harry had seen you when your broom got hit with a Killing Curse and you fell."

"He ran out into the middle of the Death Eaters, throwing curses like mad, and stood over your body, completely exposed, and went completely berserk, just tore them all apart. Bill got one, but Harry dealt with the rest while Fawkes got your family out."

"Then the Mountain Troll showed up, Fawkes brought you here, and Harry snapped its neck with a Reductor before passing out from exhaustion upon his arrival. When he woke up, he found this, which is how he ended up laying on you," She handed Ginny the black letter, and Ginny's blood ran cold when she recognized Tom's handwriting.

"What was this?" Ginny held up the metal rod lying in its wrapping.

"That was originally transfigured into a hand from the Weasley Family Clock, specifically, yours," Ginny's eyes went wide and she began to tear up again, this time for Harry instead of because of him.

"He saved my life again," Ginny said, half to herself, as she stared at the letter in her hands. Madam Pomfrey left her alone to think.

* * *

"So, looking at this, we have a fine example of what _not _to do in a combat situation," Grindlewald launched into his lecture as they withdrew from the memory,

"You exposed yourself, you broke cover, you took unnecessary risks, you overpowered all your spells, you focused too much on one enemy and lost your situational awareness, you forgot the rule of acceptable losses, and, most importantly, you just dueled poorly.

This was not a demonstration of who was better, it was a demonstration of who was less bad, and thank Merlin it was you," Grindlewald growled out, but Harry's eyes were already sparking.

"Ginny. Is. Not. An. Acceptable. Loss," Harry spit at his instructor.

"And why not? Is she an exceptional fighter?" Grindlewald barked in response, "Is she a brilliant Healer or Spy? Is she a political figure? What is her value?" Harry growled and drew his wand.

"She is a person! She has value! She's my friend and I care about her!" He flung a curse.

"So? This is war! People die, friends die, people you care about die! You have to accept it," Grindlewald returned fire, but Harry only picked up the pace.

"I will not let her die! I will protect her! I'll protect all my friends, but I'll especially protect her!" Harry's wand was a blur as it spurted streaks of colored light, sending them battering against Grindlewald's shield.

"Why? What makes her so special? Why should death not take her of everyone?" Grindlewald reinforced his faltering shield.

"Because… Because she keeps my secrets, because she always knows what to say, because," Words and images swirled through Harry's mind as he desperately tried to come up with words for what he felt for Ginny. Finally, he found them, and a little bit of him was scared by them, but it was stamped out by the rest of him which was very, very mad at Grindlewald for even suggesting that Ginny might die,

"Because I love her, that's why!" He shouted and Grindlewald smiled as he deflected Harry's last curse before swiping his legs out from under him and blasting him with a short second of the Crutacious.

"Very good, see how much more powerful it made you? The raw strength of love and the desire to protect it? Now all you need to do is maintain your focus while you're feeling it, and Tom Riddle will never have a chance," He hauled Harry off the floor and placed his wand in his hand,

"I think that's enough for today, now go back and talk to her, tell her how you feel, she deserves to know," He patted Harry on the back and watched as Fawkes flamed him away, considering how different things could have been if he had followed his heart so many years ago.

* * *

Harry was running through the castle, trying to find Ginny and tell her how he felt before he could talk himself out of it. He burst into the Hospital Wing and almost knocked over Madam Pomfrey, but Ginny's bed was empty. She quickly translated his forlorn look.

"She left not twenty minutes ago, dear, her mother took her home. She claimed that the girl would recover faster at home, the nerve of that woman," She descended into mumbling about how no one understood proper healthcare procedures, but Harry wasn't listening. He stared at the empty bed for a moment before turning and trudging out of the door.

* * *

That night, Harry's bed felt cold and empty and he struggled to sleep, tossing and turning, and far away, a red-headed girl lay in her bed feeling much the same way, as if a piece of her was missing.

* * *

The next morning signified Harry's return to his training schedule, which he took to with a renewed fervor, one fueled by two things; Harry's dismal performance in his first real battle, and a need to quell the feeling he was having about Ginny. He settled back into his routine with Grindlewald, learning and practicing.

Grindlewald had decided that Harry needed to return to the basics, since they obviously hadn't taken the first time, so Harry was once again learning the basic rules of dueling according to Grindlewald.

"One," Grindlewald lectured him, "You must always maintain your situational awareness. You will not just be dueling one wizard at a time, one curse at a time, you'll be fighting many opponents all hurling curses as fast as they can," He waved his wand, creating several mannequins, all capable of casting short Crutacious bursts. Another wave, and Harry's wand was in his hand and Harry was blindfolded. Then, with no warning, the mannequins attacked.

Harry ducked, spun, dodged and twisted away from the curses as best he could, trying to sense the magic as it rushed towards him. He would occasionally get hit, but he would quickly shake it off and get back to his feet. The exercise went on for hours until Harry finally collapsed and couldn't rise. Grindlewald vanished the dummies and blindfold and returned Harry's wand.

"Better, but still not good enough, you should never get hit by someone at that level, especially by something as slow as a Crutacious," Grindlewald barked, "Come on, sit," He gestured to one of the chairs next to his Pensieve. Harry sat and they both dunked their heads into the bowl.

This memory was an expertly cut together montage of Grindlewald, Dumbledore, and several other wizards all dispatching large groups of opponents with ease. Even in combat gear, Harry could distinguish the different wizards.

Grindlewald's style was brutal, utilitarian, and borderline Dark. He struck fast and hard with an unrelenting offense and was highly mobile. Dumbledore, on the other hand, dueled in a more traditional style, using Transfiguration and Animation heavily and often casting complex spells followed by a flurry of everyday charms. Both were highly effective.

Harry resurfaced from the memory a little while later, just long enough to feel refreshed. It was a good thing to, because he was immediately attacked by Grindlewald and had to scramble to return fire.

For 40 minutes, the two wizards hammered away at each other, each one trying to demolish the other. Harry, as usual, was losing, and Grindlewald repeatedly smashed holes in his defenses. Finally, the brutality was over and Harry collapsed, panting.

"Again, you're improving, but you're trying to make up for skill with power. That doesn't work; you must learn finesse and technique. Until you do that, you _will _lose," Grindlewald told Harry with his typical harshness as he dismissed Harry for the day.

* * *

As the days of summer wound down, Harry continued to train, now driven by a new determination to succeed. The new work ethic showed.

Harry was deemed 'acceptable' at Occlumency by Snape, which he considered a glowing commendation from the man, and had reached a basic comprehension of the more academic subjects he had been studying.

This left most of Harry's day to one thing, and that was dueling. Harry continued to work with the three Aurors and Lupin, but he was also now regularly taking on Professors Flitwick, Snape, and McGonagall as well as Sirius.

It said something remarkable that the 15 year old boy could give as well as he got against the professionals, and won just as much as he lost. He also visited Grindlewald less, and rarely dueled with him. Their time became reserved for discussing tactics and strategy.

Harry also continued work with various physical weapons. From swords to throwing knives to the bow and arrows, Harry was reasonably proficient with them all, though not what one would call exceptional.

With more free time than ever, Harry pitched himself into research, specifically anything about how Voldemort could have become immortal, with an intensity that would have made Hermione proud.

His search was fruitless for a very long time, even as he pledged into the depths of the Restricted Section. He had found several magics which would connect two people like Harry and Voldemort had been, and several ways to achieve 'immortality', but none of them seemed logical, and he hadn't found one that did both. The Hogwarts Library was far from extinguished, however.

* * *

Ginny Weasley lay awake in her bed, staring at her ceiling in the dark of her room. It was actually only eight-thirty at night, but her mother's overprotectiveness had reached a new all-time high, and it was focused on Ginny, mostly because she was the only daughter, but also because of her recent injuries and – as much as Ginny hated to admit it – most likely the Chamber fiasco as well.

It had started off pretty tame: Ginny was only allowed to fly with supervision and was only allowed outside during the day, but it got worse; first she wasn't allowed to fly at all, then she wasn't allowed outside and then, eventually, she wasn't even allowed near windows to the point that now she was only allowed in the kitchen or her room, and Molly had even found a way to remove the window from her room.

She was locked in her room promptly at 7 pm and not released until 8 am, when she was allowed downstairs. In addition, her mother was screening her mail and burning most of it. The only letters she was really receiving were from Harry, delivered straight to her room via Fawkes, and she had made sure to hide her predicament from him, knowing he would blame himself.

Her brothers, on the other hand, were well aware of the situation; for her birthday Fred and George had gotten her an orange jumpsuit (which clashed horribly with her hair) with 'Prisoner Ginny' and some arbitrary number written across the back in black stencil letters.

With a final irritable sigh, Ginny rolled over to try to sleep in the cold, desolate room, and wished with all of her might that September 1st would come faster.

* * *

As the first day of the new school year approached, now only being 2 weeks out, the new DADA Professor arrived. Harry was sitting perched on a statue in the Entrance Hall with Fawkes when she banged open the giant Entrance Hall doors.

In comparison to the grand doorway, the short, squat woman cut quite the un-imposing figure, but Harry felt Fawkes' mental tremor of disgust.

"_What's the matter Fawkes?_" Harry asked his trusted companion.

"_Look at her Harry, look at her aura,_" The magical bird retorted, and Harry focused one of the abilities he had gained in their bonding.

All Phoenixes were hyper-sensitive to auras and magical traces, and Harry had found that he could utilize this sixth sense as well, only with considerably more effort.

As he watched her with this sense, the source of Fawkes' disgust became apparent. The woman radiated evil. Not sadistic, dark evil like Voldemort or his Death Eaters, but a prejudiced, hateful evil. Nevertheless, evil was evil and Harry was repulsed by it.

"_I see what you mean; I wonder why Dumbledore even hired her?_" Harry wondered.

"_I'm not sure, either she's an exceptional liar or she was the only option,_" Fawkes replied. The squat woman stepped into the light of one of the torches and Harry was stunned by her disturbing resemblance to a toad.

"_Ugh, why do I get the feeling she's going to be a horrible teacher,_" Harry moaned mentally.

"_I dunno, maybe because it looks like she gets out of breath getting out of bed every morning, much less combating Dark Magic,_" Fawkes muttered back.

"_Seriously though, I bet she's never taught anything in her life, I could probably do better,_" Harry disillusioned himself and dropped off of the statue, landing silently and stalking out of the Hall in a huff to go find someplace that wasn't being tainted by her presence.

As he slipped by her, he couldn't help but notice the Ministry badge she was wearing labeled 'Dolores Umbridge'.

"_You probably could; it's certainly something to think about if she's as terrible as she looks. And what is Dumbledore doing allowing the Ministry into Hogwarts anyways?_" Fawkes tucked himself back into Harry's robes to remain concealed.

"_He's probably got no choice; the smear campaign against the both of us has been pretty terrible, and he's going to have to make concessions to save face,_" Harry was understandably upset by Rita Skeeter's constant barrage of slanderous articles that labeled Dumbledore as senile and Harry as a mentally diseased pathological liar, but there wasn't much he could do.

He figured that Voldemort would show up and make himself known eventually, and then Fudge would get his just desserts, but until then, there was nothing Harry could do. That didn't mean he had to like it though.

* * *

Harry made his way up to his quarters, still fuming about the new Defence Professor, only to find Dumbledore standing outside of them.

Harry's anger at the Ministry, at Voldemort, and at the Wizarding Public in general boiled over when he saw the man.

"Albus," The wizened wizard turned to face him, "What the hell is going on! We're in the middle of a war with a thrice-damned Dark Lord, and you're hiring bumbling Ministry stooges to teach our students to survive?" Harry spat at him, his blood boiling.

"I take it you've met Ms. Umbridge, then?" Dumbledore tried to sound flippant, but even in his anger; Harry could hear the edge to the Headmaster's voice,

"I'm afraid that the Ministry has seen fit to install their own person into Hogwarts; they seem to believe that I am building some kind of an army out of the students," His tone was resigned.

"But what about Hogwarts by-laws? They allow you to supersede the Ministry in Hogwarts matters," Harry called up something from his History course with Sirius.

"Yes, I suppose I could, but you know the saying 'keep your friends close and your enemies closer'?" Harry nodded, "Well Umbridge is dead set on destroying all of Britain's magical allies in the name of blood superiority, and at the Ministry she is in a position to do so."

"Here at Hogwarts, however, I believe she will be kept significantly busy discovering the joys of being an educator," Dumbledore gave Harry a mischievous smile, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Albus, what else is the matter?" Harry asked, placing a gentle hand on the Headmaster's shoulder and taking in his suddenly unusually grave face.

"Harry, my boy, I hate to break it to you like this, but I'm afraid that your cousin Dudley was kissed by a Dementor on Privet Drive yesterday," Dumbledore's voice sounded hollow.

"It looks like the Dementor was sent to lure you into performing underage magic by the Ministry," Harry's eyes narrowed,

"Since you no longer reside there, they took the next best thing," Dumbledore placed a hand on Harry's shoulder and Harry sighed heavily.

Much to Harry's surprise, the news hit him fairly hard. Despite the way his cousin had treated him for his whole life, he was still family and Harry didn't want to see him dead, or soul-sucked either. Dumbledore gave Harry a reassuring pat on the shoulder and left Harry to his own devices.

Harry immediately went to do what he always did now when he felt upset, confused, or unsure about something like this; he wrote to Ginny. He effectively poured his feelings about his only remaining blood family out to her in his letter and then handed it off to Fawkes, who disappeared in a small flash of fire.

Once the letter had been sent, Harry dropped back onto his bed and fell asleep. That night, his dreams were plagued by visions of his childhood with his relatives, but when he awoke, he only felt worse about Dudley's fate.

The Dursley's had been claiming that Harry and his freakiness would destroy their family, and they had finally been proven right. And if they had been right about that, what else had they been right about?

* * *

Harry's breakthrough in his research finally came when he stumbled across a small, unassuming book - one with no title, no author, and very few legible pages – buried deep within the Restricted Section which, in one section, made reference to an artifact known as a 'Horcrux'.

_The Horcrux, which is considered the vilest of all the magicks, is an item imbued with its creator's life essence, tying them to this plane of existence. It requires a shattered soul to create, and once it has been created, the caster becomes irredeemable…_

Harry read the passage several times, making sure that it said what he thought it said, before taking off at a dead sprint towards the Headmaster's office.

Harry burst through the Headmaster's door, shouting Albus' name at the top of his lungs with the book clutched in his hand, but the Albus was not in.

Sitting on Albus' desk, however, was an open book and a single sheet of parchment. Sitting atop the book was a Phoenix-feather quill; a signal that Harry and Dumbledore used.

Harry immediately dropped down into the Headmaster's chair and began to read. Surprisingly, the passage that the book was open to also described the Horcrux.

Hidden under the parchment, which was covered in notes written in Dumbledore's loopy script, was another small, leather-bound book; this one with a huge burnt hole in its center and the faint initials 'T.M. Riddle' on its cover.

Realization struck Harry like a bludger, the Diary was a Horcrux. But it had been destroyed before Voldemort had been resurrected, and that could only mean one thing.

Voldemort had done the impossible, he had made multiple Horcruxes. Harry gasped quietly at the thought, and then he noticed something written on the parchment's reverse side.

… _Gaunt's Ring, TMR inherited at young age. Little Hangleton, site of TMR, Sr.'s death. Horcrux site… _

The last segment was circled hurriedly. Harry spun to look at the portraits surrounding the walls of the office.

"When did Albus leave? How long ago?" Harry asked demandingly of Phineas Black, who was the only portrait present and awake.

"Oh, only an hour, hour and a half. He seemed in quite the hurry, too," The portrait replied nonchalantly.

"Shit. Shit, shit, shit," Harry cursed under his breath. He remembered how violently the Diary had defended itself, and how well it had defended it had been, what with the Basilisk and all.

And Dumbledore had gone after another one, alone.

"_Fawkes! Dumbledore needs our help, take us to him!_" Harry barked mentally, and Fawkes materialized in a ball of fire.

"_Harry, you know I can't just take you to a person. I need a place, a location that you can picture,_" Fawkes reminded Harry, but Harry just gritted his teeth.

"_I can give you a location; you just get us there, okay?_" Harry snapped, and then drew up the painful memories of the night of the Third Task, isolation the memory image of the decrepit manor house that had loomed on a hill over the graveyard.

In a ball of flames and a rush of magic, Man and bird were standing on the winding path leading up from the Manor gates. Several meters away, Albus Dumbledore spun and pointed his wand at them with a speed that belied his age.

When he recognized them, he lowered his wand. "Ah, Harry, my boy, I see you've figured it out as well! Excellent!" His eyes twinkled mischievously as his new, shorter hair and beard were tossed about by the stormy wind.

"Albus, what possessed you to try and get this thing by yourself? You live in a whole castle full of experts in their respective fields, you should have brought at least Snape with you, and probably Moody too," Harry shouted back over the howling wind.

"You are quite right, Harry, but I'm afraid that I have acted quite rashly, as I have been known to do in the past. I believe you understand the sentiment," Dumbledore chuckled as Harry walked up to him.

Harry at least had the sense to look a little bit sheepish, thinking about his various adventures.

The two stood side by side when they reached the building's decaying veranda and, with a nod to each other, they raised their wands.

* * *

At the Burrow, the final days of summer were winding down dreadfully slowly, in Ginny's mind anyways. The family had taken its usual trip to Diagon Alley and Ginny had, of course, been forced to stay behind by her mother who had cited 'safety reasons'.

Now they were packed and ready to go, and Molly Weasley was giving her children her famous 'First Day of School, Remember to Mind Your Manners and Study Hard' spiel, which this year was amended with a new 'Don't Let Ginny Date Anyone' section which essentially put the remaining Weasley boys at Hogwarts on boyfriend watch for Ginny, giving them strict orders to owl their Mum if Ginny started seeing any boys.

While Ginny knew the Twins would cut her some slack unless they needed to take some heat off themselves, she also knew that Ron would take the task to heart and try to become her personal minder. He had also been advised to try to include Harry in the plan, but Ginny knew Harry would be on her side.

On the topic of Harry Potter, Ginny was unbelievably thankful for his correspondence over the course of the summer. Without his letters, she would have slipped into insanity long ago. Additionally, through the letters which often touched an intimate emotional level the likes of which Ginny had never experienced before, she knew that she was falling – no, she had already fallen – hopelessly and irrevocably in love with Harry.

And if the things he shared with her that he had never shared with anyone else were any indication, he might just be noticing her. But Ginny didn't dare hope.

Instead, she leaned back to daydream about what Harry was currently doing. Her conjured fantasies of him flying and laughing in the warm sun were probably about as far away as could be from the darkness that swirled around a graveyard in Little Hangleton.

**A/N: Another chapter and Horcruxes revealed! That's the biggie; also Umbitch is introduced in all of her bitchy glory. Some other stuff happens too, which will build up to later events. All in all, thank you so much for the tremendous response this story has gotten and thank you for your continued support. I got so many reviews on the last chapter that I can't possibly respond to them all, but if you did review – and you know who you are – thank you an infinite number of times! Till next time, you guys are the best!**


	8. Two for the Price of One

Birth of a Phoenix

Ch.8- Two for the Price of One

**A/N: Okay, so some Horcrux action in this chapter, and some Sirius moments (Which, ironically, are not serious at all) which you've all been begging for. So boom. As always, read and review, and I appreciate all that you can give me. Enjoy!**

At the outskirts of a small town known as Little Hangleton, a lone manor house stood above a graveyard. The local muggles had long believed the house haunted, and most avoided it like the plague. Tonight however, despite the violent storm that was kicking up as darkness began to fall, two men stood at the door to the crumbling house.

Harry Potter's eyes flicked nervously across the overgrown property, searching for a threat. His wand was gripped lightly but firmly in his hand and he held it in front of him, ready to use.

Behind him, Albus Dumbledore weaved his own wand into a complicated pattern over the doorframe, causing glowing ribbons of energy – mostly in dark purples, blood reds, and sickly greens – to uncoil from the doorframe.

Finally, Dumbledore lowered his wand and cautiously pushed the door open. Its hinges screeched in protest and both of them flinched. With a final sweep of the yard, they ducked inside.

The inside of the manor was even more derelict than the outside. Furniture was moth-eaten and shredded, and by all appearances were home to several small animals. The two wizards surveyed the room carefully, neither knowing what kind of traps or wards Voldemort had erected beyond the fact that they would not be pleasant.

Dumbledore moved quietly into the parlor, the room where Tom Riddle, Sr. had been found dead. Presumably, this was where Voldemort had hidden the Horcrux.

A few quick revealing spells and Dumbledore found a heavily warded floorboard. Harry was struck by the similarity to his own hiding place at the Dursley's.

With a wave of his wand, Dumbledore had lifted a heavy gold box from the space underneath and set it down on a dusty, rotting table.

"Alright then," Dumbledore made like he was dusting off his hands and then waved his wand with a flourish, "That is indeed surprising," Dumbledore commented. The box was only protected by a basic locking charm.

Dumbledore cast a quick _Alohomora _on the box and flipped back the lid. Inside rested a heavy gold ring with a big black stone embedded in its center.

Dumbledore cast another revealing charm, which came up empty, and he reached for the ring reverently. As soon has he had laid eyes on it, he had seemed almost entranced.

Harry, on the other hand, gasped. Sure, the ring had no obvious curses on it, but Harry's increasingly acute Phoenix senses were going wild. The very essence of the ring exuded evil.

"Albus don't touch it!" Harry shouted, but his mentor ignored him, "Albus!" He tried again, frustrated and frightened. Receiving no response, he did the only thing he could do.

"Dammit Albus, don't touch that ring!" Harry stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Dumbledore's midsection, pinning his arms to his sides, "That ring _reeks _of Evil. I don't know what would happen if you touched it, and I don't plan on finding out," Harry growled into the older man's ear.

Dumbledore slumped and the strange longing look that had filled his face evaporated. Using a little wandless magic, a skill that Grindlewald insisted he learn, Harry levitated the ring into a small velvet pouch that he had brought.

"There, now let's get the heck out of here, I'm getting the willies," Harry said with forced cheerfulness, and with a thought, the two wizards were gone in a ball of flame.

* * *

They reappeared in Dumbledore's office and Dumbledore finally started to return to normal. He shook his head a few times and cast two quick Drying and Warming Charms. Harry nodded in thanks.

"Okay, now let's get rid of this thing, just being around it makes me sick," Harry tossed the bag with the Horcrux in it onto the table and turned to Dumbledore expectantly, "So how do we destroy this? I can go get more Basilisk fangs, they worked on the Diary," Harry turned to leave, but Dumbledore cut him off.

"Actually Harry, I was thinking about the issue of finding the rest, and I believe that since all souls wish to be whole, we could turn this artifact into some sort of Horcrux compass," He stated with a little hint of a twinkle in his eyes.

"No," Harry stated flatly, looking Dumbledore straight in the eyes which made Dumbledore blink in shock, "I can't believe that you are even considering keeping this evil thing in a _school _for any longer than we have to,"

"Do you even remember what happened the last time one of these things was floating around Hogwarts?" Harry glared fiercely at the Headmaster, who did a slight double-take.

"Of course you are correct, my boy, best that we get rid of this as soon as possible," He conceded.

"I don't, however, believe those fangs will be necessary. When you stabbed the Basilisk, the blade of Gryffindor's Sword became coated in venom. Being goblin-made, the blade absorbs anything that will make it stronger," Dumbledore stood and removed the blade from a glass case in the back of his office.

He handed the sword to Harry and emptied the velvet bag onto the table, exposing the cursed ring.

"All due respect sir, but shouldn't you do it?" Harry asked curiously, gazing at the blade.

"I would, but that blade can only be wielded by a true Gryffindor; someone that the blade has chosen, I cannot even raise the weapon to strike with it," Dumbledore said, with some measure of sadness in his voice.

"I see," Harry looked contemplative for a moment, "So how did you plan to destroy it if I wasn't around, seeing as you would be locked out of the Chamber and unable to swing the Sword?"

Dumbledore looked embarrassed for a moment, "I was going to, erm, just hit the Horcrux against the sword blade and hope it cut it," He had the decency to look at his feet and blush a little.

Harry just chuckled and raised the blade above his head. With a quiet shout, Harry brought the sword crashing down into the ring.

The blade cleaved through the metal band, and it released a swirl of black smoke and emitted an unearthly shriek. A blast of magical backlash whirled about the room, tossing things about.

Unfortunately, the ring was not the only thing unable to stop the blade and it continued through Dumbledore's desk as well, embedding itself into the floor.

Harry released the blade and stepped back, looking a little sheepish.

"Good swing, my boy, good swing," Dumbledore crowed and clapped appreciatively, patting Harry on the back. Harry shot him a grin.

Suddenly, a black shadow coiled its way up the sword's blade and seemed to settle into it. The whole weapon seemed to shiver for a moment.

Dumbledore crossed the room and knelt down, waving his wand over the blade. His face paled slightly.

"Harry, I do believe I owe you a large thank you. That curse that the sword just absorbed would have caused me a slow and painful death," Dumbledore stepped towards Harry, and Harry extended his hand.

"There's no need for that, after all you've done for me this summer alo- ," Harry was cut off by Dumbledore stepping past Harry's hand and wrapping him up into a hug.

Harry could do nothing for a moment, utterly stunned by the sudden occurrence. He was being hugged by Albus-bleeding-Dumbledore, the Greatest-Wizard-of-the-Age. He recovered enough after a moment to return the embrace and he squeezed the man tightly.

* * *

After a little more discussion about everything and nothing, the strange pair took a leisurely stroll through the halls back to Harry's quarters. They walked in amicable silence, enjoying the tranquility of Hogwarts in the wee hours of the morning.

They arrived at Harry's door and Harry placed his hand on the doorknob and released a brief pulse of Phoenix fire, which unlocked the door.

Much to his surprise, as he entered he saw Sirius, Remus, Tonks, Flitwick, Hagrid, and Fleur sitting around the small kitchen table, with several bottles of Firewhiskey – all in various stages of consumption – clustered in the center of the table.

"What's going on here boys?" Harry sent a mock glare at his Godfather and Furry Godmother, "Can I not go anywhere without you two throwing some kind of party?"

"What, this?" Sirius gestured around him, slurring slightly, "This ain't a party; this's a meetin' of the 'People Umbitch Hates Club', it's the firs' one," Sirius explained. Harry raised his eyebrows.

"You see, you got me, the filthy blood-traitor escapes convict that deserves the Kiss," Sirius elaborated and then gestured to Remus.

"I'm a dirty half-breed Dark Creature that has to be put down like the animal I am," Remus growled. He sounded a less drunk then Sirius, if only by a little.

Tonks was next, "I'm a freaky Metamorphmagus slut who slept my way onto the Auror force when the only job I should be allowed to do is prostitution," She too was steaming.

"I have a touch of Goblin blood in me, which makes me a cheat, a thief, and an un-trustworthy sub-human," Flitwick was standing on his chair in order to reach the table, and he seemed to be shaking with fury. Harry was surprised by the look on the normally-jovial Professor's face.

"I'm jus' a stupid, worthless, 'alf-Giant that's got te' be tossed in Azkaban," Hagrid had obviously been crying, and his huge lacy handkerchief was in hand.

"I am supposed to be considered only fit to be a mistress or a consort. Of course, if I am lucky, I would be allowed to join Tonks in prostitution so that I may sate my Veela desires with many men," Fleur's voice was sharp with sarcasm, and her hair seemed a little feathery. Harry was surprised by how much her English had improved, especially since he doubted that much of her time spent in 'English lessons' with Bill Weasley was spent speaking.

Harry surveyed the table, nodded once, and gestured Dumbledore into the room before conjuring two more chairs, "So, do you have room for an attention-seeking pathological liar and a senile old man?" He asked with a wry grin as he and Dumbledore took their seats and grabbed glasses.

* * *

The group drank and wallowed in their hatred of the toad-woman until the sun began to rise, at which point they dispersed. Dumbledore informed them that they would all meet in the Great Hall for important Order business the next morning.

As the others stumbled their way to various flat surfaces to sleep, he also asked Harry to meet him that afternoon. Then he left, looking a little unsteady on his feet.

Harry collapsed into an armchair and clutched at his pounding head, "_I'm assuming a hangover doesn't warrant any healing tears, eh Fawkes?_" Harry asked sardonically.

"_Nope, I'm afraid not. You could just use a little Phoenix magic to burn the toxins out of your blood though,_" Fawkes alighted on the back of Harry's chair.

Harry looked up at the bird incredulously, "_I can do that? That's bloody convenient,_"

"_Sure you can, you just have to be careful or you'll boil all the blood in your veins, which I'm told is a very painful way to go,_" Seeing Harry's look, he snickered, "_Kidding, kidding, that was a joke,_"

"_I am _way _too inebriated to get a joke like that right now, buddy,_" Harry deadpanned. He took a deep breath and focused on the internal fire that was his Phoenix magic and then reached out, targeting the foreign alcohol in his system.

Instantly, every inch of Harry's body began to tingle and the lines on his skin where his veins were glowed a shocking gold. Gradually, Harry drew back the magic and blinked.

His vision had cleared, his head had stopped pounding, and he instantly felt steadier. "Wicked," Harry said out loud to no one in particular.

Harry then trudged upstairs to go to bed, and collapsed into its warm softness. It didn't take long for sleep to claim him after the massively eventful day.

* * *

When Harry awoke again, midday sun was pouring through his windows. Outside it was a gorgeous day and Harry grinned. With the castle beginning to set itself up for school and Umbridge on the prowl, most of his classes had ceased, so he could go and enjoy the day.

Harry slipped out of the Entrance Hall doors and on to the sunlit grounds and down towards the lake. He was trotting down to his favorite tree to work on his Animagus form when he spotted three forms by the shore.

Harry bounded towards them, and as he approached he realized that they were Remus, Sirius, and – to Harry's surprise – Snape. Remus and Snape seemed to be doing some kind of odd, rhythmic karate in slow motion.

Remus noticed Harry coming towards him and waved him over. Seeing Harry's curious gaze, he shifted into what Harry and Sirius called 'Professor Mode' and began to explain.

"Good morn- er, afternoon Harry, I'm sure you're curious as to what this is," Remus gestured at Snape, who had not acknowledged Harry except for a slight scowl, and Harry nodded.

"This is a Muggle martial art called 'Tai Chi'. Muggles use it to center their Chi energy in order to promote relaxation and well-being. I, on the other hand, use it as means to control my wolf side," Remus explained.

"I find it quite useful for strengthening my Occlumency shields and readying my mind for my second job," Snape interjected, placing special emphasis on 'second job'.

"I can show you some if you like?" Remus offered, and Harry nodded in the affirmative.

"Okay, so first you want to adopt a stance like this. Remember, it's all about fluidity and allowing your Chi energy to circulate freely," Remus began.

The four spent several hours by the lake, practicing Tai Chi. Or at least, three of them practiced Tai Chi while Sirius ran around them, making 'Hi-yah' noises and doing outlandish karate moves.

Harry had quickly picked up the discipline under Remus' skilled tutelage, but instead of feeling a deep trance-like relaxation like Remus described, Harry felt something else.

As Harry slowly moved his body, he began to feel something within him which began to oscillate with every movement like some kind of tide.

As Harry continued to move, the feeling grew stronger. On a whim he put forward a hand and opened his fingers. His whole hand seemed to glow with a soft light. Harry realized that he could literally feel his magic.

Unfortunately before he could explore this discovery any further, his concentration was broken by an outraged shout.

"Black!" Snape looked furious, "Can't you be serious for a single second?" Apparently Sirius had performed something called a 'Crane Kick' inches away from Snape's hooked nose.

"What do you mean? I'm Sirius all the time!" Snape snarled and went for his wand, but Remus leapt in between them.

"Severus, calm down, he doesn't mean any harm," Remus told Snape quietly and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Sirius, it's about lunchtime, you want to head down to the kitchen and place our order with the elves?" Remus turned and asked Sirius, who gave him a silly grin. A moment later a big black dog was bounding across the grounds.

"Severus, I'm sorry about him, but you've got to ease up on him," Remus turned his attention back to the tense Potions Master.

"Why? He's like a child stuck in an adult's body?" Snape asked sharply.

"He really is, I mean think about it. He was raised by the Blacks, and you know how they raise children, and then almost as soon as he was free from them, he was tossed into Azkaban for 12 years," Remus explained, and Harry listened intently. Snape just sneered.

"You see, he's never had a chance to be childish, he's spent his whole life as a prisoner, and now that he's free, well, he's trying to experience the childhood he never had," Remus finished and placed both hands on Snape's shoulders, looking straight into his eyes.

"I'm not asking you to like him and I'm not asking you to support his antics, I'd just like for you to cut him some slack, please?" Remus seemed to plead.

He removed his hands and strode into the castle with Harry following quickly after, leaving Severus Snape alone on the grounds with his thoughts.

* * *

Harry made his way up to Dumbledore's office that evening, mildly curious as to what the man wanted to discuss.

He pushed the door open and found Dumbledore pouring over a map, scribbling notes intently on a piece of parchment beside it. Harry shut the door behind him and coughed quietly.

"Ah, Harry, I wanted to talk with you about the Horcruxes and what our plan will be to destroy them," Dumbledore gestured to a seat across the newly-repaired desk.

"Okay, are you sure this won't endanger you with your Vows?" Harry asked with concern.

"Not at all, you see, I can't teach you anything, technically, about Voldemort's Horcruxes because you know everything that I know, more or less, so it becomes simple discussion," Dumbledore's eyes glinted with mischief.

"Okay, so how do we do this, because I imagine I'll have a hard time getting out of the castle this year," Harry said.

"Harry, I know that you will be the one to go wand-to-wand with Voldemort at the end of things, but that doesn't mean you have to do all the work," Dumbledore smiled sadly at Harry.

"Like you told me in Little Hangleton, the Order is full if experts in their various fields. Tomorrow, we will have a meeting with all of those who are stationed in the castle, as well as some others I've brought in,"

"You and I will try to figure out 'what' and 'where', and they will go to retrieve them for us to destroy," Dumbledore used his tone of command and Harry nodded once, looking uncomfortably at his feet.

"Good, now we must come up with a list of things that Voldemort could have made into Horcruxes. I'll assume that you've seen the memories of Tom Riddle that I've oh so forgetfully left in my Pensieve all summer," They both chuckled and figuratively put their heads together well into the night.

* * *

The next morning found the members of the Order who were stationed at Hogwarts, along with a few others like Bill Weasley, were gathered in the Great Hall, waiting on Dumbledore.

At not a minute past 8, Dumbledore and Harry swept into the Hall and took seats at the head of the table where the group sat.

"Hello, Good morning, and thank you all for coming. The information we have to share today is of the utmost secrecy and all of you here I trust intimately," Dumbledore began.

"What about that Umbridge woman?" Interjected Snape, and several others voiced their consent.

"I believe that the corridors around her quarter are feeling rather, fickle, today," Dumbledore responded, his eyes twinkling madly.

"That being said, I have found a safe place for us to talk without being overheard. Follow me," Dumbledore rose and left the Hall with the Order members trailing after him.

* * *

They arrived at a seventh floor corridor across from a tapestry of Barnabus the Barmy and Dumbledore paced back and forth in front of the blank wall for a moment.

Suddenly, a heavy door emerged from the solid stone. Dumbledore opened it and gestured them inside before closing and warding it behind them.

"Yes, I was introduced to this magnificent room by the Hogwarts elves only recently, and it is quite wonderful. It is called the Room of Requirement, and it can become almost anything the person in it desires," Dumbledore opened his arms as if to present the room, which had a circle of plush couches.

He and Harry dropped onto one couch and the Order followed suit. With a flick of his wrist, Dumbledore conjured a large map and several photographs and paintings of various objects.

"Over the course of the summer, Mr. Potter and myself have been investigating how Voldemort survived the Killing Curse in 1981, and we are pleased to inform you that we have finally discovered the answer," Dumbledore spoke firmly as he dropped the bomb on the Order.

"Who here is familiar with a Dark artifact called a Horcrux?" Dumbledore asked, and only Bill, Remus, Moody, and Snape raised their hands. All four looked slightly sick at the thought.

"Well, a Horcrux is an item that has been infused with a piece of its creator's soul, effectively tethering him or her to the physical realm. Voldemort made seven," Dumbledore stated bluntly. The room gasped and Bill went wide-eyed. Even Snape looked a little sick.

"We have already destroyed three, but four remain, and we want you to help us find them," Harry spoke for the first time, "Behind us are places that are significant to Voldemort which he may have used as hiding places and also artifacts of considerable value that Voldemort may have turned into Horcruxes," Harry gestured behind him and the room sat in silence for a moment.

Finally, Sirius spoke up, "You know what, I bet the Black Library has a bunch of creepy books about this type of stuff," He thought for a moment.

"Kreacher!" An ancient house-elf appeared at Sirius' feet, literally kicking and screaming.

"Kreacher won't! Kreacher won't serve the blood-traitor! Blood-traitor is not a Black!" It screamed and Sirius growled in frustration.

The rest of the room looked on as the spectacle in front of them played out.

"Kreacher! You will go to the Black Library and you will bring me any books about artifacts or rituals! Go!" Sirius barked, but Kreacher did not hear him. Instead, he seemed fixated on an image floating behind Harry and Dumbledore.

He slowly shuffled over and reached out, hesitantly touching the image of a heavy golden locket with and elaborate 'S' carved on its face.

"Master Regulus' Locket? Why is you having a picture of Master Regulus' Locket?" The elf stroked the image reverently.

"What do you mean, you st- ," Sirius began, but Dumbledore cut him off with a look.

"Kreacher, do you know where that locket is?" Harry had dropped to his knees to look the elf in the eyes.

Kreacher's eyes went wide and he clutched something over his heart that was concealed by his dirty pillowcase. Harry's eyes were drawn to the thick gold chain around the elf's neck.

"Why is you asking about Master Regulus' Locket? Is you going to steal it?" Kreacher recoiled quickly and snarled.

"No Kreacher, we need to find it so we can destroy it. It is full of evil magic," Harry told the elf softly. The elf's head snapped around, his tennis-ball eyes going wide.

"You is going to… destroy Master Regulus' locket?" The elf asked hesitantly, and for a moment Harry thought he had said the wrong thing. Then the elf began to sob.

"Kreacher is a bad elf! Kreacher tried so hard to destroy the locket like Master ordered, but Kreacher could not! Kreacher is a bad, bad elf!" He drew from his pillowcase a heavy locket and held it out to Harry while beginning to whack himself in the face with his fist.

"Kreacher, stop! That locket is protected by very powerful defenses. It's not your fault you couldn't destroy it, you simply didn't have the right tools. Stop punishing yourself," Harry placed a hand on the elf's shoulder.

Harry gave Dumbledore a look and he caused a heavy marble block to rise from the floor before ushering everyone to the edges of the room.

In a flash of fire, Fawkes appeared and laid a single Basilisk fang on the block. Harry laid the locket across the block and picked up the fang.

Harry then turned to Kreacher and held out the fang, "Come Kreacher, fulfill Master Regulus' orders," Trembling with a mix of emotions, the tiny elf gripped the poisonous fang and approached the block.

Harry pictured a snake in his head and hissed out, "_Open,_" causing the locket to crack open. A black wraith began to rise out of the locket to defend itself, but in creating its defenses, Voldemort failed to account for an impassioned house-elf wielding a fang from the King of Serpents.

The fog was not even full out of the locket when Kreacher flew at it; swinging the fang like a madman. He struck at the locket again and again, screaming some kind of battle cry.

When Kreacher finally stopped stabbing, the locket was riddled with holes and the Horcrux it contained was no more.

"Excellent work Kreacher, your Master Regulus would be proud," Harry smiled at the elf, who suddenly burst into tears again and flung himself at Harry's leg, sobbing incoherently.

"Kreacher, that's quite enough," Sirius said as gently as he could. Kreacher's tennis-ball eyes swung around to fix on him.

"Master Sirius! You is helping! Thank yous, Thank yous!" Kreacher turned and flung himself upon Sirius' leg, belting out more incoherent wails. Sirius gazed down at the elderly elf in open-mouthed shock.

* * *

As the meeting was dismissed and assignments were handed out to each member, Dumbledore pulled Harry aside.

"Well, my boy, why do I get the feeling that the last three won't be this easy?" He placed a hand on Harry's shoulder and Harry chuckled.

"Because they won't be. Merlin knows, we'll probably have to break into Gringotts or something insane like that," Harry grumbled. He hated it when he had good luck when it came to Voldemort. It just meant that something big was building up to bite him in the arse.

Dumbledore laughed at Harry and gave him one last pat on the shoulder before he too exited the room, leaving Harry alone in the magical room on the seventh floor.

* * *

Harry flopped down on one of the couches and contemplated the events of that summer. Sure it had been one of the best summers of his life, if not _the _best, and he actually felt like he could beat Voldemort for once, but he also was tired.

For the whole summer Harry had been getting up early and going to bed late, working so hard that his usual chores with the Dursleys looked like twiddling his thumbs, and he was ready for the relaxation of his OWL year.

Harry snorted at the thought. What would Hermione say if he told her that? Which brought Harry to his next issue; he missed his friends, badly. Other than two blissful days around his birthday (Which had ended in a disaster) Harry hadn't seen anyone.

Next Harry had to consider what he would tell his friends about the summer. All the sudden he was in great shape, was way better at magic, and had a Phoenix. None of that could've happened at the Dursleys'.

Surprisingly, it wasn't a hard decision for Harry. He would tell them everything. Well, everything but the Prophecy and the Horcruxes anyways.

Harry gave a long sigh and picked himself up off the couch and stuck out his forearm. In two flashes of flame, Harry was in bed and waiting for September 1st to arrive.

**A/N: Okay, summer is over, and we can finally bring in more characters. I know, I know they destroyed two Horcruxes in this chapter. I promise the other 3 will be way harder to find. Not to mention ole' Voldie himself. Also, about Sirius: Amelia, who is currently the Director of the DMLE, pulled some strings – under the advice of Dumbledore – to get Sirius declared dead **_**by the Ministry. **_**This makes Harry Lord Black on the Wizengamot, but not anywhere else. It also ends the Auror manhunt for him. So that's that for those who are confused, I hope it helps. I'm also sorry if you don't like how or how often my characters are in my story, but I'm doing the best I can. In happier news, ****H/G next chapter! It happens!**** Just thought I'd let you know. As always, leave a review and you're all the best!**


	9. Something New, Something Better

Birth of a Phoenix

Ch. 9- Something New, Something Better

**A/N: So hey guys, I'm so, so, so, SO very sorry about this long update time. Honestly, with school exams and stuff this winter and spring combined with sports and a giant writer's block, I kind of fell off of this story, but never fear, I am back! And in this chapter, so are the students of Hogwarts. Also, Harry/Ginny in this chapter! Get hyped! Anyways, my apologies again, and here you go!**

Ginny Weasley was practically bouncing with excitement on the morning of September 1st when her mother unlocked her door for the morning. She had been up with the sun as it beamed through her newly replaced window.

Thankfully her father had spoken with her mother about the difference between protecting and stifling, and a few things like windows and living room privileges had been restored.

Today was the day that she got to escape from her mother and go back to Hogwarts, which had her excited for several reasons.

Ginny was more than ready to have her freedom to move about as she liked back, and she couldn't wait to fly. It would also be nice to actually have conversations with her friends without her mother screening her words.

In reality though, the biggest reason that Ginny wanted to go back was the fact that Harry Potter was there.

Ginny's feelings for Harry had started out as a massive, paralyzing crush on the Boy-Who-Lived. After the Chamber incident, that had evolved into very deep feelings for the real Harry.

Ever since her injuries that summer though, and the subsequent night in his arms, a new element, one of burning desire, had been introduced.

Harry and Ginny had exchanged letters at least daily the whole summer, and they had been the highpoints of her day.

These thoughts kept Ginny occupied all the way to King's Cross Station, and it wasn't until she was flung through the portal into Platform 9¾ that she stirred out of her fantasies.

Ginny was at the head of the Weasley clan, pushing as hard as anyone to reach the train as quickly as possible, scanning the crowd for a glimpse of messy black hair.

Harry Potter had flamed onto the Express as soon as it had arrived at the station that morning and had been waiting in the last compartment ever since. In the time during his wait, he had made up his mind about several things.

First, he was going to tell Ron and Hermione, and maybe some others, about his summer as soon as possible.

Second, he wasn't going to take any shit from anyone this year, especially not Malfoy or Umbridge, and he was now equipped with the tools to deal with the problems.

Third, the decision which had consumed most of his wait, he would tell Ginny how he felt that night, after the Feast.

Now, however, Harry was gazing out the windows of the train, scanning for the mass of red that would be the Weasley family. Unfortunately, this set him up for a bushy-haired brunette blindside.

Hermione had seen Harry through the window and had run and wrapped him in a suffocating embrace. She then launched into a story about some book that she had read and Harry could only grin.

Hermione somehow managed to drag Harry off to meet her parents, who were very nice people, if a little disconcerted by the Wizarding World.

This gave Ginny time to reach their traditional last compartment without seeing Harry at all, and she put her trunk up and flopped down, a little disappointed.

Finally, however, the compartment door was pushed open and Harry appeared in the door frame. Ginny broke out into a beautiful grin and he couldn't help but smile back.

Their moment was promptly ruined as Ron shouldered his way through the door and tossed his trunk haphazardly onto the rack.

"Sup mate, how was summer with the muggles?" Ron asked, tugging Harry into a one-armed hug. Hermione slipped in behind them and went over to hug Ginny and start into a spiel about her summer.

Harry took a deep breath and braced himself. This was the moment of truth, "Well, er, I wasn't actually _at _the Dursleys' this summer," Harry said, putting his hands up in a 'don't-hurt-me-please' manner.

Hermione immediately snapped to attention, "What do you mean? Where were you?"

Harry looked sheepish, "Well, after the whole Tri-Wizard Tournament fiasco, me and Dumbledore- ,"

"Dumbledore and I," Hermione corrected instinctively. Ron snickered, which earned him a dirty look.

"Yeah, whatever, well we came to an understanding that I need to be prepared to fight Voldemort again, and we agreed that the Dursleys' was not the place to do that, so I stayed at Hogwarts," Harry said, looking at his feet.

Hermione's jaw dropped, "You spent the whole summer learning from Professor Dumbledore!" She seemed awed and insulted at the same time.

"Yeah, among others. It was hard work, up with the sun and to bed well after it," Harry said, trying to placate her.

Ron winced, "You had to spend all summer going to school? Rough mate,"

Hermione still seemed to be fuming a little, "Why didn't you tell us?"

"Uh, It was a secret Hermione," Ron interjected as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"No, Ginny knew," Hermione huffed. Harry blinked in surprise.

"How do you figure that?" Ron asked.

"She hasn't asked a question yet, or even yelled at him. She's just sitting there smiling like the twins when they're watching a prank," Hermione stated succinctly. Ron rolled his eyes.

Ginny shrugged at Harry and he turned to Hermione with a sigh. "Yeah, she knew. Madam Pomfrey talked about while we were in the Hospital Wing and she wouldn't stop questioning until I told her," Ginny grinned at him. None of it had been a lie, and it would hopefully sate Hermione.

The train ride, for the most part, passed uneventfully after that. Their peace was only disturbed once by Malfoy trying to get through the wards Harry had thrown up for privacy. He was not successful.

Eventually, they changed into their school robes and Harry realized that both Ron and Hermione had shiny purple 'P' badges on their robes.

After Harry expressed his congratulations, they set out for the Prefects' meeting, leaving Harry and Ginny alone in the compartment, which Harry re-sealed behind them.

Now it was just Ginny and him alone in the compartment. They sat there for several moments, staring into each other's eyes and trying to overcome the immense tension between them.

Finally, Ginny broke the long silence with an innocuous question about Quidditch, which opened up a semi-normal conversation for at least a few minutes. Unfortunately, Harry could only hold back what was best described as a raging monster in his chest that was trying to claw its way out through his ribs for so long and he eventually succumbed to his desires.

Harry gazed at Ginny and tried to find words that could appropriately describe how he felt, but he was lost in her warm chocolate eyes. Silence descended again and it was several minutes before Ginny spoke.

Ginny's voice trembled slightly as she fought to overcome her nerves, "Harry, this summer, ever since you told me about all of this, and then all of the letters, and sleeping together, er, in the same bed, and I've been thinking about my feelings and, well," Ginny cut off her own rambling by leaning forward and pressing her lips hard against Harry's.

Harry was stunned by the delicious feeling of Ginny's lips on his and by the time he had gathered the presence of mind to kiss back, she had already pulled away.

"Harry, I- I'm sorry about this, and I hope this doesn't mean we can't be friends anymore, but I understand if it does. I just can't help how I feel about you," Ginny stared at her feet, trying to stem the tears.

Harry was silent for a moment, his thoughts churning, before he answered, "Ginny, maybe you're right, I don't think we can be friends anymore," Ginny felt her heart begin to shatter, but Harry wasn't done speaking.

"I can't just be friends with you, not when I know we have the potential to be so much more," And with that, Harry gently tilted her face up to his and kissed her.

By instinct, Ginny's arms came up and circled around Harry's neck and Harry's hands encircled her, one on the small of her back and the other tangled in her glorious red mane.

They lost themselves in each other's lips; in the feel of the delicious dance of their tongues and the blazing trails left by their wandering hands.

Ginny had often imagined when she was alone, what it would be like to kiss Harry, but in all of her fantasies she could never have conceived that it would be like this. It was, in a word, glorious.

Eventually, the need to breathe overcame the desire to maintain contact, and they reluctantly broke apart, resting their foreheads together. Neither of them spoke, having no desire to ruin their perfect moment with words that couldn't even come close to properly describing what they were feeling.

After a few more moments of blissful silence, Ginny groaned, "Mum put Ron and the Twins on boyfriend duty this year; apparently I can't make judgments about boys by myself. Also, Ron's going to try to rope you into helping," She tried to keep the frustration out of her voice.

Harry chuckled, "I'll have to just take him up on that offer, shall I? Can't go letting people hit on my girl after all," Ginny felt a thrill at Harry's possessiveness, "Though I must tell you, I find your current taste in men impeccable," He grinned at her seductively.

Ginny smiled and a fit of giggles bubbled up inside her. She slipped her hands into Harry's hair and drew him down into a kiss again, reveling in the fact that she could.

"But seriously Harry, Mum and Ron can't know, they'll flip out," Ginny pleaded into his lips.

"Don't worry Gin, I'm more than happy to keep you all to myself," Harry whispered into her ear, making her shiver, before brushing his lips along her neck. "I missed you. I mean, I missed everyone, but I especially missed you," Harry said when Ginny pulled away to look him in his gorgeous emerald eyes.

"I missed you too Harry, you're the only thing that kept me sane this summer," Ginny said, allowing herself to be pulled tightly into Harry's arms. She had only been in them for a few minutes, but suddenly she couldn't imagine being anywhere else.

The new couple's quiet moment was interrupted by Ron and Hermione banging on the compartment door, back from patrols. Reluctantly, Harry untangled himself from Ginny and unlocked the door.

Stepping inside the compartment, it was clear to see that Hermione and Ron were bickering about something again. Ron's ears were red and Hermione's arms were crossed and both were wearing vicious scowls.

"What's the matter with you two?" Harry asked, "This time," He muttered under his breath so that only Ginny could hear. She giggled and Harry's stomach swooped a little.

"_Ronald _decided it was necessary to start an altercation with Malfoy in the middle of the carriage," Hermione huffed, emphasizing Ron's full name.

"Hey! He was insulting my mother! There are certain lines that cannot be crossed, and insulting my mum is one of them!" Ron raged in his own defense.

Ron and Hermione both fixed Harry with gazes that demanded his support. Harry raised his hands in a defensive gesture, "I'm not getting into this, no way," He said.

The arguing duo dropped onto the benches, staunchly refusing to speak to or even look at one another.

Finally, Ron rose and grabbed Harry's shoulder, "Me and Harry are gonna go get some snacks off of the trolley, right mate?" He gave Harry a look and, after a subtle nod from Ginny, Harry acquiesced.

Harry and Ron made their way down the train, looking for the trolley, when Ron finally breached the slightly awkward silence, "Listen mate, uh, my Mum wants us to keep an eye on Ginny this year. You know, make sure she doesn't end up hurt by some boy or something," In typical Ron fashion, he stumbled for words, "So, you in mate?"

Harry considered for a moment. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't have dared, knowing that the youngest Weasley would have his bits if she found out, but if he went along, hiding their burgeoning relationship would be much easier.

"Yeah, alright, but when Ginny figures it out, you made me do it," Harry agreed and Ron slapped him on the back.

The rest of the train ride after Harry and Ron returned passed uneventfully. Ron and Hermione eventually reconciled and the rest of the time was spent recounting stories of the summer. Naturally, Harry's stories were by far the best.

Eventually the train arrived at Hogsmeade Station and the students piled out of the carriages. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny cut through the crowd with relative ease; one of the few distinct advantages of Harry being a pariah.

They filed into the Great Hall and settled down amidst the other Gryffindors, with Harry and Ginny sitting across from Hermione and Ron. Ginny subtly rested her small hand on Harry's thigh, which sent a warm buzzing through Harry's body.

After a moment, the Sorting began – the Hat opening with a different song than normal, one that seemed to be a warning of sorts - and Harry clapped and cheered at the expected parts with the rest of his House. Eventually, the Sorting was finished and it was time to eat.

When the whole Hall was settled, Dumbledore rose to give his usual start-of-term speech. Many students gasped in shock at seeing their Headmaster's new look. His shorter hair in a ponytail and his beard knotted around itself in a single knot just below his chin.

His glasses were also gone, and the legendary Dumbledore twinkle was gone from his eyes, replaced with a much more multifaceted sparkle. The air of whimsicality that they had come to expect was gone.

"Good evening students and welcome back to another year at Hogwarts. I know you're all hungry, so I'll be brief: to our newcomers; welcome, and to our old hands; welcome back! Tuck in!" Dumbledore gave a dramatic wave of his hand and the food appeared.

The four friends ate in relative silence except for the occasional "Manners Ron!" from Hermione. Ron, as usual, piled his plate with food, but – surprisingly – Harry piled up at least as much.

The two set to work with equal fervor, the only difference being Harry's use of utensils. When they had polished off their first plates and were filling their seconds, Ron looked up and locked eyes with Harry.

In that moment, a challenge was issued; it was the kind of challenge that only teenaged guys are stupid enough to make, but it was made nevertheless.

Harry and Ron tore through seconds and thirds, but when they hit fourths Ron began to slow, and by dessert, Harry had triumphed, celebrating with a large platter of treacle tart.

Ron moaned and loosened his belt, "How in the name of Merlin did you eat that much Harry?" He asked, voicing the question that was on probably half of Gryffindor table's minds.

"Hey, in the grand scheme of things, I'm behind on a lot of calories in my life; I'm just catching up," He lowered his voice,

"And using magic burns calories just like everything else, so when you work like I have all summer, you constantly have an appetite," Harry informed them, and Hermione nodded sagely.

The food disappeared several minutes later and Dumbledore began his announcements, "Hello to you all, I'm glad to see everyone back here safe and sound. Tonight, I have some important announcements."

"Firstly, to all of you new students, the Forbidden Forest is just that, forbidden. Secondly, Mr. Filch has asked me to remind you that dueling in the corridors is strictly not allowed. Also, the list of 476 banned items can be found outside of his office."

"Finally, I would like to introduce your new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, Madam Dolores Umbridge, who is on loan to us from the Ministry," Dumbledore didn't try very hard to hide his ire with Fudge.

"Now, I trust that everyone will make Madam Umbridge feel welcome, and I ask that you please treat her like you would any of your other Professors," No one in the Great Hall missed the look that passed between Dumbledore and the Weasley Twins at those words.

"Now that that is out of the way, this old man is tired, so off to- ," Dumbledore raised a hand to dismiss the students, but was interrupted.

"Hem, hem," Dolores Umbridge had risen, apparently expecting to give a speech.

"Very well, it seems that your new Professor has a few words for you," Dumbledore sat down and looked to the short toad woman.

"Yes, thank you Headmaster, I would just like to say 'you're welcome' on behalf of the Ministry of Magic for providing you with an opportunity to receive a quality education based on a Ministry-approved curriculum."

"Additionally, please feel free to come see me if you feel the need to report anything, anything at all. From sub-standard class instruction to rumors, lies, and sedition, my door is always open," She gave a sickening smile and the Slytherins applauded uproariously. The rest of the Hall just glared.

Dumbledore dismissed the Hall for a second time, and students began to migrate up to bed, leaving the Hall mostly empty except for the Professors and some assorted students.

True to form, Draco Malfoy and his dumb thugs immediately began to make their way towards Harry and his friends.

Hermione noticed his approach and glared at Ron, "Ron, Malfoy is coming over here, I want you to keep your mouth shut," Ron instead began to go for his wand, "And don't even think about hexing him!" She half-shouted.

Harry adopted a different strategy, reaching across the table and grabbing Ron's wrist, "Ron, do you want to hit Malfoy where it really hurts?" Ron's face twisted into a malicious grin and Hermione looked at Harry, appalled.

"Good, then here's the plan. We're going to ignore him. Completely," Harry grinned and Ron opened his mouth to protest, but Harry cut him off.

"No, listen, Malfoy comes from a wealthy pure-blood family. His whole life he's been told that he is the most important person in the room, so if we react to him, he feels satisfied. If we don't react, however, that cuts him deeper than any insult, because it makes him feel small and unimportant," Harry whispered as Malfoy drew closer.

Ron's brow furrowed for a moment before the spark of understanding caught in his eyes and he relaxed just in time for Malfoy to reach them and stand behind them.

"Oh look, its Nutty Potty, the Mudblood, the Weasel, and – what's this? – the Weaslette! Oh joy, look at all this filth in one place!" Malfoy crowed, smirking with his chest puffed out.

As the four Gryffindors continued a casual conversation about classes, however, his arrogant smirk slid off of his face and was replaced with a scowl.

After several more rounds of ignored insults, Draco was finally mad enough to pull his wand. Seeing this, Harry waved his hand slightly under the table.

Malfoy brought his wand up to bear on the back of Ron's head and shouted the incantation for the Brain-Freezing Jinx. An ice blue light flashed out of the end of Malfoy's wand. Unfortunately for him, he had somehow drawn his wand backwards and the jinx caught him in the gut.

He tumbled to the floor, clutching his head and several Professors rushed over. While not the first one on the scene, due to her impossibly stubby legs, Umbridge was the first to speak.

"Mr. Potter! Assaulting an upstanding pureblood, I'll have you expelled for this!" She almost cackled with glee at the thought.

"Now Madam Umbridge, Harry didn't even draw his wand. Matter of fact, I would call him the victim of the whole situation, even if he did handle it remarkably well," Dumbledore gave her a kindly smile, but she just glared back evilly. She opened her mouth to protest, but Snape interrupted.

"I think that I am capable of handling discipline within my own house Dolores. Malfoy, if you are going to curse someone, at least be smart enough to not do it in the middle of the Great Hall. Detention in my office tomorrow night," Snape barked at the blond boy, who looked outraged.

In the chaos and the shouting, the four Gryffindors ducked out of the Hall, Ron and Hermione gesturing for the First Years to accompany them. As they made for the Tower, Hermione pondered, "I wonder what caused Malfoy to grab his wand backwards like that? That's a pretty first year mistake,"

Harry tried his hardest to not look guilty, but Hermione caught it and raised her eyebrow, "I, uh, may have cast a wandless Confundus on his wand to, you know, make him grab it backwards," Harry mumbled out under his breath.

Hermione looked scandalized, but Ron gave Harry a solid high-five and Ginny grinned at him, which made the whole shenanigan worth it all on its own.

They arrived at the Gryffindor Common Room in short order, and Ron and Hermione took the new First-Years off to see their dorms. Harry collapsed into an out-of-the-way couch in what was, unofficially, the "Golden Trio's" corner. Ginny dropped down beside him and, despite the space on the couch, leaned heavily into his side so that their arms and thighs were pressed together.

They enjoyed a few moments of the closeness before Harry spoke, "Ah, it's good to be back,"

Ginny rolled her eyes, "Harry, you were here all summer, this can hardly be called 'back',"

Harry chuckled at the sparkle in her deep brown eyes, "Ok, so it's good to have everyone else back; you know what I mean, I missed you guys," He said, casually tossing his arm over her shoulders.

Ginny snuggled deeper into Harry's side and sighed contentedly, relishing the pulsing contentment in her chest that made her feel like she was going to burst.

They stayed like that for a few long moments until Ron and Hermione reappeared and they had to break apart quickly. Ron did not seem to notice anything, other than that Ginny was in 'his' seat, but Hermione gave the pair a curious glance. Harry groaned inwardly, the last thing he needed was a suspicious Hermione prying into his and Ginny's relationship.

Thankfully, that was all that seemed to come of it, and the rest of the evening was spent with idle chit-chat about meaningless things, save for an occasional leading question from Hermione about Harry's summer.

That night, when it was time for bed, Harry buried himself in the warm sheets of his Gryffindor dorm bed. Despite the fact that Harry had been sleeping in a bed that had been an exact replica of the one he was currently in all summer, there was something comforting about the familiarity of the room that was his first home.

He lay staring at the drapes around his bed, reflecting on the first day back at Hogwarts, for everyone else anyways. All in all, it had most likely been the best beginning of term in Harry's school career. He had not come from the Dursleys', with all of the emotional baggage that that entailed and he was getting along wonderfully with his friends again. And that was before he brought Ginny into the equation. The student populace at large was, as usual, shooting him odd looks, whispering, and just generally avoiding him, but that was the norm for Harry. At least this time it had as much to do with his startling physical transformation as it did with his supposed mental health, or lack thereof.

Harry shifted himself into a comfortable position, yawned, and slipped into sleep, happy for the way that his year had started off. Unfortunately, as with many good things in the life of Harry Potter, it was not to last.

**A/N: Okay, phew, that's done, and updates should become regular again, so don't fear. Matter of fact, it'll be up by next week, probably. I'm going to try to stick to a chapter-a-week schedule, but no promises. Hit me up w/ some reviews though, they totally motivate me!**


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Harry Potter, Adventure, Romance